7 Muscles

Major Themes
䊏 Muscle cells shorten on command; no other cells do.
䊏 There are three types of muscle cells: skeletal, cardiac, and
smooth.
䊏 Skeletal muscle contracts voluntarily to produce body
movements.
䊏 Adenosine triphosphate (ATP), most of which is derived from
glucose and fat metabolism, is the energy currency for
muscle action.
䊏 Smooth muscle contracts involuntarily to power many
internal functions.

5. Describe the composition of the thin and

Chapter Objectives
Overview of Muscle 228
1. List five functions of muscle tissue.
2. Compare and contrast skeletal, smooth, and
cardiac muscle.
Structure of Skeletal Muscle Tissue 231
3. Using a drawing, identify and describe the
special features of a skeletal muscle cell,
and explain how many such cells, along
with connective tissue membranes, are
built into a skeletal muscle.
Skeletal Muscle Contraction 233
4. Define sarcomere and explain how muscle
contraction results from sarcomere
shortening.
thick filaments, and label the parts of the
sarcomere.
6. List all the steps involved in muscle
contraction, beginning with an action
potential in a neuron and ending with the
events of cross-bridge cycling.
7. List the steps involved in muscle relaxation.
Muscle Energy 243
8. Identify three uses for ATP in muscle
contraction.
9. Explain the benefits and disadvantages
of different energy sources (creatine
phosphate, glycolysis, and mitochondrial
respiration); compare anaerobic and
aerobic metabolism.

LWBK585-c07_p226-279.indd 226 8/2/10 4:48:31 PM

 10. Compare the structure and function of fast
glycolytic fibers and slow oxidative fibers.
Case Study: Muscle Energy Metabolism:
The Case of Hammid S. 246
11. List different causes of muscle fatigue, referring to
the case study.
The Mechanics of Muscle Contraction 248
12. Explain how a stronger contraction results from
modifying fiber length and/or recruiting additional
motor units.
13. Provide examples of isometric, concentric isotonic,
and eccentric isotonic contractions.
14. Discuss the effects of resistance training and
endurance exercise on muscles.
Smooth Muscle 252
15. Describe the structural and functional differences
between skeletal and smooth muscle.
16. List the steps involved in smooth muscle
contraction, including the different types of
stimuli that can induce contraction.
Skeletal Muscle Actions 255
17. Identify the prime mover, synergist, and/or
antagonist for different body movements at
each joint.
The Major Skeletal Muscles 256
18. For each body region (head and neck, upper limb,
torso, and lower limb), label the major skeletal
muscles on a diagram and indicate their insertion
and origin.

“He’s had these pains all of his life.”

As you read through the following case study, assemble a list of the terms and
concepts you must learn in order to understand Hammid’s condition.
Clinical History: His mother brought Hammid S., a 10-year-old boy, to a
pediatrician’s office. The family had emigrated to the United States from Afghanistan
10 months earlier. With the aid of an interpreter she explained that Hammid was
becoming increasingly upset by his inability to keep up with the other boys on his
soccer team because of the painful muscle cramps that occurred in his legs with
strenuous exercise. He had also been complaining that everyday activities requiring
significant muscle effort, such as climbing stairs, caused him pain.
She explained further, “He’s had these pains all of his life, but not so bad as now. The doctor in
Herat told me he probably had liver disease because his urine is red or brown sometimes. But the dark
urine always appears after the muscle cramps come. The cramps go away if he rests for a while.”
Further questioning revealed that Hammid’s older brother and younger sister were not affected
by similar symptoms.
Physical Examination and Other Data: Hammid was of normal height and weight for his age, and
his vital signs were unremarkable. Muscle size and tone were unremarkable. Mild proximal muscle
weakness was present in all extremities and he had difficulty walking on his heels or toes more than
8 or 10 steps because cramps developed in his legs.
Laboratory evaluation revealed abnormally high levels of creatine kinase (a muscle enzyme) in
the blood. A presumptive diagnosis of McArdle syndrome (type V glycogen storage disease, due to a
genetic deficiency of muscle glycogen phosphorylase, another muscle enzyme) was made and an
appointment with a specialist in muscular diseases was arranged.

227

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 Need to Know
It is important to understand the terms and concepts listed
below before tackling the new information in this chapter.
䊏 Nutrients and ATP (Chapter 2)
䊏 Neuron structure, neurotransmitters, and chemical synapses
(Chapter 4)
䊏 Movements at synovial joints (Chapter 6)

Clinical Course: At the specialty clinic, a forearm ischemia test was performed, in which a blood pressure
cuff was inflated to cut off blood flow and Hammid was asked to squeeze a rubber ball for a minute or until
cramps appeared. Study of blood lactic acid in a forearm vein was abnormal: the normal increase of lactic
acid did not occur during the test. A muscle biopsy was performed; it showed increased amounts of glycogen
in the muscle fibers and a severe decrease in muscle content of glycogen phosphorylase.
Specialists at the clinic explained to Hammid’s parents that his genetic defect was inherited and that
no treatment was currently available. The parents were also reassured that although Hammid would have
difficulty with strenuous exercise all of his life, he would be unlikely to suffer other problems.

Just as the word bone can refer either to an organ or to a tissue, so can the word muscle; that is, the biceps muscle (a
muscle in the arm) is an organ primarily composed of muscle tissue. We derive the word muscle from the Latin mus
(for “mouse”), a reference to the rippling motion of muscles, which was thought to resemble the movement of mice
beneath the skin. In turn, mus was derived from earlier Greek, where mys (meaning both “mouse” and “muscle”) gives
us the prefixes myo- and mys-, which refer to muscle. A myofilament, for example, is a specialized cytoskeletal
filament of muscle cells. Words referring to muscle tissue may also have the prefix sarco-, which is derived from
Greek sarx (for “flesh”). For example, the cytoplasm of a muscle cell is called the sarcoplasm.

Courage is like a muscle strengthened by its use.

Ruth Gordon, American writer and actress (1896–1985)

Overview of Muscle
Muscle comprises about 40% to 50% of body weight. No
other cell can do what muscle cells do: they contract
(shorten) on conscious command. This ability makes
muscle cells responsible for our movements, both visible
and invisible: walking, talking, bowel movements, urina-
tion, breathing, heartbeats, the dilation and constriction
of the pupils of our eyes, and many others. And when we
are still—sitting or standing—muscle cells keep us erect.
Functions of Muscle
The core function of muscle is to convert chemical
energy into mechanical force. Muscle acts to:
● Move body parts. Every movement of our body requires
skeletal muscle action, from large movements like
walking, to smaller movements like breathing or fol-
lowing a tennis match with our eyes.
● Maintain body posture. Although it is not immedi-
ately obvious, an uninterrupted sequence of tiny,
silent contractions of postural skeletal muscle
keeps us erect when we are standing or sitting and
keeps our heads from slumping on our shoulders.
A related activity is the stabilization of joints: In
every activity, joints must be stabilized so that they
do not swing out of control but operate in a smooth,
steady fashion.
● Adjust the volume of hollow structures. By their response
to unconscious autonomic commands, muscles in the

228

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 Chapter 7 Muscles 229

walls of hollow structures relax to increase volume
and contract to decrease it. For example:
● Muscle in the bladder wall relaxes to allow the
bladder to expand to accommodate more urine or
contracts to expel it.
● Muscle in blood vessel walls relaxes to dilate blood
vessels and allow more blood flow or contracts to
reduce blood flow.
● Move substances within the body. The self-stimulated,
automatic contractions of cardiac muscle pump blood
through blood vessels; waves of smooth muscle con-
tractions propel intestinal contents down the intesti-
nal tract; and similar waves of smooth muscle con-
traction power male ejaculation and female orgasm.
● Produce heat. Whether it is the conversion of gasoline
into vehicular motion or the conversion of glucose
into muscle contraction, conversion of energy from
one form to another always produces heat as a waste
product. The body generates ATP to power muscle
contraction. When it does so, about three-fourths of
the nutrient energy consumed escapes as heat.
Because nearly half of body mass is skeletal muscle,
most body heat comes from skeletal muscle contrac-
tions. And just as waste heat from an automobile
engine is used to warm the car’s interior on a frosty
day, the heat from muscle contraction is the major
source of heat to maintain body temperature. For
example, when we shiver with cold, the shivers are
involuntary skeletal muscle contractions that gener-
ate extra heat to raise body temperature.
Case Note
7.1. Based on his symptoms, which of the muscle
functions just discussed is impaired in Hammid, our
patient?
There Are Three Types of Muscle
There are three types of muscle: skeletal, cardiac, and smooth
(Table 7.1). Their most important common characteristic

Table 7.1 Muscle Tissue

Characteristic Skeletal Cardiac Smooth

Location Often attached to bones Heart Walls of blood vessels, visceral

organs

Appearance Long, cylindrical fibers Branching cylindrical fibers Small cells; sometimes branched
Thin Striated Not striated
Striated Single nucleus Single nucleus
Multiple nuclei

Striation Muscle
fiber
Nucleus
Muscle
cell
Nucleus

Muscle Nucleus
Striation
fiber
(a) (b) (c)

Control Voluntary Involuntary Involuntary

Contraction Rapid contraction and relaxation Moderate contraction and Slow contraction and
relaxation relaxation; can maintain for
extended periods

Fatigue? Yes No No

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 230 Human Form, Human Function: Essentials of Anatomy & Physiology
is their ability to contract. Their most important differ-
ences relate to four qualities:
● Location
● Microscopic appearance
● Whether or not they are subject to conscious control
● The type of contraction they generate
Skeletal Muscle Moves the Skeleton
As the name suggests, most skeletal muscle is attached
to bone and moves the skeleton (Fig. 7.1).
Skeletal muscles form the bulk of our muscle mass
and add shape to the body. They make up the body wall,
hence the alternate term somatic muscle (soma  “wall”).
Microscopically, skeletal muscle is striated muscle;
that is, it has cross-stripes (striations) on microscopic
examination, an appearance that is intimately related to
its function. Mature muscle cells are especially long and
thin—up to a foot long—and are typically called muscle
fibers. Keep in mind throughout this chapter that a
muscle fiber is a single mature skeletal muscle cell.
Skeletal
muscle
Cardiac muscle
Smooth muscles
(stomach, intestines)
Figure 7.1. Muscles in action. Cardiac muscle (shown in
dark red) keeps blood moving, smooth muscle (orange)
enables food digestion and urine retention, and skeletal
muscle (bright red) moves the body. Which type of muscle
makes up the stomach wall?
LWBK585-c07_p226-279.indd 230
What’s more, skeletal muscle is voluntary muscle;
that is, we can contract and relax it at will. Skeletal mus-
cles can also function outside of our conscious control;
for example, the diaphragm contracts and relaxes to
keep us breathing while we sleep, and our neck and
back muscles maintain our seated posture while our
attention is devoted to our work.
Skeletal muscle fibers contract quickly and forcefully
and then relax to become ready to contract again. They
do not maintain contraction for an extended period of
time, and they fatigue after repeated contraction. Fur-
ther on, we discuss the precise nature of muscle fatigue,
which is unique to skeletal muscle; cardiac and smooth
muscle do not tire.
Cardiac Muscle Propels Blood
through the Body
As its name suggests, cardiac muscle tissue is found
only in the heart, and accounts for most of its mass (see
Fig. 7.1). We perceive cardiac muscle contractions as our
heartbeat, which propels blood through the blood ves-
sels of the body.
Microscopically, cardiac muscle is striated, like skel-
etal muscle. Cardiac muscle cells are much shorter than
skeletal muscle fibers, but they are branched and inter-
connected. The end of one branch is connected inti-
mately to another, producing long cardiac muscle fibers.
The result is that cardiac muscle is a network that in
many ways behaves like a single huge muscle cell.
Of course, cardiac muscle is involuntary muscle: we
cannot control its contractions by force of will. That said,
some things we deliberately do—such as engaging in
meditation—can slow our heartbeat, whereas other
things—such as vigorous exercise—can increase it.
Like skeletal muscle fibers, cardiac muscle cells con-
tract quickly and then relax. However, unlike skeletal
fibers, they do not fatigue. We will return to cardiac mus-
cle in Chapter 11 in our discussion of the heart.
Smooth Muscle Powers
the Actions of Viscera
Smooth muscle tissue is found in thick layers in the
walls of hollow organs such as blood vessels, the urinary
bladder, the uterus, and the intestines (Fig. 7.1). The
intestines and other abdominal organs are frequently
described as the viscera; therefore, smooth muscle is also
called visceral muscle. As noted earlier, it adjusts the vol-
ume of hollow structures and helps move substances—
from food to blood—throughout the body.
Smooth muscle is named for its microscopic appear-
ance: It is a nonstriated muscle; that is, it has a uniform,
8/2/10 4:49:02 PM

smooth appearance without cross-striations. As dis-
cussed further on in this chapter, its lack of striations is
intimately related to its function.
Smooth muscle is involuntary: we do not command
the wall of our stomach to relax to accommodate a large
meal. It just happens as the stomach responds automat-
ically to the mechanical stimulation of food bulk, which
is but one of many stimuli that govern smooth muscle
function. Usually, smooth muscle contracts slowly and
can maintain the contraction over a long period. Gener-
ally, smooth muscle fibers do not fatigue.
Case Note
7.2. Which type of muscle is affected by Hammid’s
disease?
All Muscle Tissue Is Extensible
A final important characteristic of all three types of muscle
tissue is its extensibility—its ability to stretch without tear-
ing. Consider what happens when you open your mouth
wide to bite an apple. The muscle that normally brings the
jaws together must relax and lengthen in order to permit
you to do it. If this muscle were not extensible, your simple
action would cause the muscle to tear. The stretchable
internal organs of the body—the heart, the bladder, the
intestines, the uterus, and so on— are made of cardiac or
smooth muscle, which also has this property. By contrast,
if a surgeon were to inadvertently stretch the tissue of the
brain, the liver, the spleen, or the kidney, it would tear.
7.1 What is the name of a mature
skeletal muscle cell?
7.2 Name the two types of striated
muscle.
7.3 Name two types of involuntary muscle.
7.4 Which type of muscle tissue experiences fatigue?
Structure of Skeletal
Muscle Tissue
Since muscle cells are unique in their ability to contract
and lengthen without tearing, it’s not surprising that
they have an unusual path of development and unique
structural features. Again, the structure of cardiac mus-
LWBK585-c07_p226-279.indd 231
Chapter 7 Muscles 231
cle is discussed in Chapter 11, and that of smooth
muscle is discussed later in this chapter.
Myoblasts Fuse to Form
Muscle Fibers
During embryonic development, stem cells produce
immature muscle cells called myoblasts (blast  “pre-
cursor”). Several myoblasts fuse together to produce
each skeletal muscle fiber, so each muscle fiber contains
multiple nuclei. Some muscle stem cells persist into
adulthood, hidden between the muscle cell membrane
and the surrounding connective tissue. These adult mus-
cle stem cells are called satellite cells, because of their
location at the muscle fiber’s periphery. Although mature
skeletal muscle cells are fully differentiated and cannot
divide, satellite cells can be activated by exercise, injury,
or disease to produce new myoblasts that fuse to form
new muscle fibers. However, satellite cell activity is not
sufficient to repair major skeletal muscle injuries.
Remember This! Adult muscle stem cells are
called satellite cells; they produce myoblasts, which
fuse to form skeletal muscle fibers.
The Structure of a Muscle Cell
Reflects Its Function
The following elements of a skeletal muscle cell (fiber)
are essential to its function (Fig. 7.2A):
● The cell membrane is called the sarcolemma. Like
the membrane of any body cell, it acts to contain the
cell’s contents and shield it from the extracellular
environment. As discussed below, this function is
especially important in muscle contraction.
● The sarcolemma in muscle cells not only surrounds
the cytoplasm but also tunnels deep into the interior
of the muscle fiber as a network of T-tubules. Action
potentials travel down these T-tubules, which enable
them to reach every part of the fiber virtually simulta-
neously to trigger a coordinated muscle contraction.
● Multiple cigar-shaped nuclei reside along the periph-
ery of the cell, immediately beneath the sarcolemma.
This location keeps them out of the way of muscle
fiber contractions.
● The cytoplasm of the muscle cell, the sarcoplasm, is
densely packed with the following structures, which
are described in more detail further on:
● Myofibrils. These slender, threadlike organelles
accomplish the work of muscle contraction. Each
8/2/10 4:49:03 PM
 232 Human Form, Human Function: Essentials of Anatomy & Physiology

Myofibrils

Nucleus

Sarcolemma
Satellite cell

Sarcoplasm

Mitochondrion

Sarcoplasmic
reticulum T-tubule
(a) Skeletal muscle fiber

Sarcolemma
Endomysium
Epimysium Skeletal
Perimysium
muscle

Bone
Fiber Tendon

Fascicle Figure 7.2. Skeletal muscle cells and muscles.

A. Muscle fibers are packed with myofibrils.
Fiber Endomysium B. Numerous muscle fibers are packed together
to form a fascicle, and many fascicles are
packed together to form a muscle. Name the
(b) Skeletal muscle connective tissue layer surrounding a fascicle.

myofibril is a bundle of different proteins that runs Case Notes

the entire length of the muscle fiber. Each muscle
fiber contains hundreds or thousands of myofibrils.
● Sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR). This organelle is a
lacy network of fluid-filled tubules similar to the
smooth endoplasmic reticulum in other body cells.
It stores calcium ions necessary for muscle con-
traction. T-tubules are in close contact with the SR,
separated by a small region of intracellular fluid.
● Mitochondria. These organelles generate the ATP
that fuels muscle contraction.
● Myoglobin (not shown on Fig. 7.2), an iron-containing
compound, stores oxygen used to generate energy
for muscle contraction.
7.3. Hammid’s blood chemistry showed elevated
levels of creatine kinase, which is usually confined to
the interior of the muscle cell. The cell membrane of
his muscle cells must have ruptured, releasing the
cell contents into his blood. What are the specific
terms used to describe the muscle cell membrane
and cytoplasm?
7.4. Hammid’s red urine reflects the presence of the
compound that stores oxygen inside skeletal muscle
cells. Name this compound.

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Connective Tissue Wraps Muscle
Fibers, Fascicles, and Whole Muscles
Individual skeletal muscle fibers are delicate, and every
one of them is wrapped by a sheath of connective tissue
called the endomysium, which covers, insulates, sup-
ports, and protects them (Fig. 7.2B). Satellite cells reside
between the endomysium and the sarcolemma.
Groups of about 100 muscle fibers are formed into
structural and functional bundles called fascicles. These
are wrapped with a thicker, tougher sheath of connec-
tive tissue called the perimysium.
In turn, groups of fascicles form muscles, which are
wrapped by a tough and very substantial outer layer of
connective tissue, the epimysium. As a muscle termi-
nates near its attachment to bone, its epimysium binds
together to form a tough and exceptionally strong col-
lagenous tissue that attaches muscle to bone. When
formed into a thick, tough cord for attachment at a single
point, it is called a tendon (see Fig. 7.2B); you learned
about tendons attaching to bone in Chapter 6. When
formed into a sheet for broader, linear attachment, the
epimysium is called an aponeurosis.
7.5 Are tendons examples of epithelial
tissue or connective tissue?
7.6 What is the difference between a
muscle fiber, a fascicle, and a myofibril?
7.7 What is the name of the membrane extensions
that dip deep into the sarcoplasm?
7.8 What is the difference between the perimysium
and the endomysium?
Skeletal Muscle Contraction
You’re reading this chapter, and it’s time to turn the page.
As you lift your hand, you don’t consciously direct your
muscles to contract to produce your movements. It just
happens. But how?
A Motor Unit Is a Motor Neuron and
the Muscle Fibers It Controls
Contraction of a skeletal muscle requires communication.
A somatic motor neuron carries a signal that stimulates
LWBK585-c07_p226-279.indd 233
Chapter 7 Muscles 233
contraction in skeletal muscle (a visceral motor neuron
carries a similar signal to smooth muscle or glands). The
cell bodies of motor neurons are located in the brain or
spinal cord and send long cytoplasmic extensions called
axons out to communicate with muscle fibers. As shown
in Figure 7.3, the axon of a motor neuron branches
toward its end to make contact with several muscle
fibers. These branches are called axon terminals. A
motor unit comprises a somatic motor neuron and the
skeletal muscle fibers it controls.
Muscles that require small, highly precise movements
(as in the muscles that control eye movement) may have
as few as three muscle fibers per motor unit. Muscles
responsible for large, powerful movements (in the thigh,
for example) may have several thousand muscle fibers
per motor unit.
Case Note
7.5. What type of neuron carries the signal to
Hammid’s muscles?
Motor Neurons Connect to Muscle
Fibers at the Neuromuscular Junction
Near its tip, each axon terminal enlarges into a pancake-
like swelling called a synaptic bulb, which lies flat on the
surface of the muscle fiber. A single synaptic bulb meets
a skeletal muscle fiber at a chemical synapse called the
neuromuscular junction (Fig. 7.3B). The components
of the neuromuscular junction are (Fig. 7.3C):
● The synaptic bulb of the neuron
● The motor end plate of the muscle fiber, which is that
part of the fiber’s sarcolemma across from the synap-
tic bulb
● The synaptic cleft, an exceedingly narrow space that
separates the synaptic bulb from the motor end plate—
the nerve and muscle fiber do not actually touch.
Recall from Chapter 4 that chemical synapses
use neurotransmitters to transmit the signal between
two adjacent cells—in this case, the motor neuron and
the muscle fiber. In all synapses the basic process is the
same: in response to an action potential in the presyn-
aptic cell, neurotransmitter is released into the synaptic
cleft; it then binds to specific receptors on the postsyn-
aptic cell, altering its electrical activity. The neuromus-
cular junction is more specific—an action potential in
the presynaptic cell always results in an action potential
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 234 Human Form, Human Function: Essentials of Anatomy & Physiology

Spinal cord
Somatic motor neurons
Motor unit A
Myelin sheaths Motor unit B
Motor unit C

Motor neuron axons

(a) Motor units

Motor
neuron Motor neuron axon terminals

Individual muscle fiber

Axon
terminal

(b) The neuromuscular Neuromuscular

junction:
junction
Synaptic bulb
Synaptic cleft
Motor end Axon
plate terminal
Figure 7.3. Motor units and the neuromuscular
junction. A. A motor unit consists of a somatic
motor neuron and the skeletal muscle fibers it
innervates. This figure shows three motor units;
an average muscle will have many more. B. This
micrograph shows an axon branching to supply
multiple muscle fibers. C. The synaptic bulb of
Fiber
the neuron synapses with the motor end plate
Myofibril
of the muscle fiber. Name the space that separates
(c) Components of the neuromuscular junction the neuron and the muscle cell.

in the postsynaptic cell. Moreover, every skeletal neuro-
muscular junction uses the same neurotransmitter (ace-
tylcholine) and the same neurotransmitter receptor—the
nicotinic cholinergic receptor (Fig. 7.4)
This receptor is a ligand-gated ion channel (Chap-
⫹
ter 4), which opens to allow sodium (Na ) ions to enter
the cell when acetylcholine (the ligand) is bound to it.
The events are as follows:
1. The action potential arrives at the synaptic bulb of
the somatic motor neuron (the presynaptic cell). The
resulting depolarization triggers acetylcholine
release into the synaptic cleft.
2. Acetylcholine (ACh) encounters one of two proteins.
Some molecules meet with and are inactivated by
acetylcholinesterase, an enzyme present in the syn-
aptic cleft and embedded in the sarcolemma. This
enzyme is always active, but it cannot keep up with
ACh release from firing neurons, so ACh accumu-
lates in the synaptic cleft. The neurotransmitter mol-
ecules that escape acetylcholinesterase’s grasp meet
and bind with a second protein, cholinergic nicotinic
receptor in the motor end-plate membrane (the
postsynaptic cell).
3. ACh binding opens the channel in the nicotinic recep-
tor. Na⫹ entry depolarizes the membrane enough to

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 Chapter 7 Muscles 235

Myelin
1
Action potential
stimulates ACh release
from synaptic bulb.

Ac
tio
n
Po
t en
t ia
l

Synaptic bulb

ACh
(Acetylcholine) 2
ACh binds with
acetylcholinesterase
(to be degraded) or
binds to the nicotinic
receptor.

Acetyl- Unbound nicotinic

Synaptic cleft ACh
cholinesterase receptor

Na Na

Sarcolemma

Ca 2 AP
Na Bound nicotinic
Ca 2 Na
Sarcoplasmic receptor
reticulum Motor end plate 3
4 (muscle)
ACh binding opens the channel;
Action potential opens C a 2 gates Na enters and initiates action
in nearby sarcoplasmic reticulum; potential. Action potential spreads
Ca 2  enters sarcoplasm. down sarcolemma and T-tubules.

Figure 7.4. Events at the neuromuscular junction. An electrical signal (an action potential) travels down the motor
neuron. A chemical signal (ACh) carries the signal across the synaptic cleft and initiates an electrical signal (an
action potential) in the muscle cell. Name the enzyme that terminates ACh’s action.

cause an action potential. The action potential sweeps
rapidly over the sarcolemma and races through the
network of T-tubules deep within the cell.
4. The action potential triggers the opening of calcium
gates in the membrane of the sarcoplasmic reticulum
(SR). This releases calcium ions from the sarcoplas-
mic reticulum (SR) into the sarcoplasm. A special-
ized calcium (Ca2) transporter called the calcium
pump actively transports Ca2 back into the SR.
However, in a contracting fiber, the pump cannot
keep up with Ca2 release, so Ca2 accumulates in
the sarcoplasm. As shown later, it is these calcium
ions that stimulate muscle contraction.
The function of chemical synapses can be affected by
disease or manipulated or inactivated by drugs or
poisons—see the nearby Clinical Snapshot, titled Beauty
and the Beasts, for more information.

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 236 Human Form, Human Function: Essentials of Anatomy & Physiology

Beauty and the Beasts: Attacking the Neuromuscular Junction

In 2006, untold numbers of women and men voluntarily
poisoned the neuromuscular junction of certain facial
muscles in order to rid themselves (temporarily) of
frown lines. The poison? A toxin, marketed under the
name Botox©, which is derived from the anaerobic
bacterium Clostridium botulinum. Botox©, a protein, is
one of the most potent toxins known, one that paralyzes
muscles by preventing them from receiving nerve
action potentials.
In clinical medicine C. botulinum poisoning, or
botulism, is a serious, sometimes fatal paralytic
condition that is most commonly encountered after
ingestion of insufficiently sterilized (undercooked)
home-canned meats, fish, vegetables, and fruits
contaminated with C. botulinum. Botulism may
also occur as a consequence of wound infection. The
term botulism derives from Latin botulus, meaning
“sausage”: the name reflects the fact that the illness
was initially recognized as resulting from consumption
of contaminated sausage.
C. botulinum toxin acts at the nerve side of the
neuromuscular junction to prevent synaptic vesicles in
the axon from releasing their ACh into the synaptic
cleft. If an action potential arrives at the synapse and
no ACh is released into the synaptic cleft, the action
potential is extinguished without being transferred to
muscle. Botulism is characterized by muscle paralysis,
which first affects the eyes (double vision, inability to
focus) and speech (slurred words) and may cause fatal
respiratory paralysis.
However, in small, local doses, the toxin causes Neuromuscular junction toxins. Botulinum toxin is used
limited muscle paralysis, which achieves a pleasing to treat frown lines and other facial wrinkles.
cosmetic effect by relaxing the facial muscles
associated with facial wrinkles. For example, following
an injection of Botox into the frontalis muscle of the
forehead, frown lines disappear; they do not reappear
until the effect of the toxin wears off in 4 to 6 months. example, Taiwanese cobra venom contains a toxin
Botox is also used therapeutically to prevent the muscle that binds tightly to the ACh receptor on the muscle
spasms that accompany migraine headaches, facial tics side of the synapse and prevents ACh from binding,
(involuntary or habitual contraction of facial muscles), which interrupts propagation of the signal. Conversely,
and cervical dystonia (abnormal contractions of neck venom of the black widow spider causes motor axons
muscles that move the head). to release all of their stored ACh, which overwhelms
Other animals exploit the fragility of the muscle receptors and interferes with controlled signal
neuromuscular junction to paralyze their prey. For transfer across the synapse.

LWBK585-c07_p226-279.indd 236 8/2/10 4:49:10 PM

 Chapter 7 Muscles 237

Recall from Chapter 4 that signals can be electrical or
chemical. The sequence involved in stimulating muscle
contraction is as follows:
1. An electrical signal in the somatic motor neuron
2. A chemical signal (ACh) in the synapse
3. An electrical signal in the sarcolemma
4. A chemical signal (calcium) in the sarcoplasm.
But how does a chemical signal—calcium—initiate
force generation in the muscle fiber? In order to answer
this question, we must delve deeper into the microscopic
structure of the muscle fiber, paying particular attention
to the myofilaments.
Case Note
7.6. What chemical is released by Hammid’s somatic
motor neurons to convey nerve signals to muscle cells?
Sarcomeres Are the Functional
Units of Myofibrils
Recall that myofibrils are the organelles within the mus-
cle fiber that accomplish the work of muscle contraction.
To understand how they contract, we must examine their
unusual structure. Each myofibril is, in essence, a bundle
of two types of long myofilaments: thick filaments and
thin filaments. You can visualize their precise arrange-
ment, which is essential to their function, by imagining
myofilaments as thick and thin pencils. Here’s how:
● Imagine that the thick filaments (thick pencils) are
sharpened on both ends and that the thin filaments
(thin pencils) are sharpened on one end and with an
eraser at the other (Fig. 7.5A).
● Next, imagine holding a bundle of thin pencils in each
hand, with the erasers pointing outward and the
sharpened tips pointed at one another.

1 sarcomere, relaxed

Thick pencil
Erasers
(Z-discs)

Thin pencil
Contraction

Thin pencil
Thick pencil

Eraser
(Z-discs)

1 sarcomere, contracted

Muscle
fiber Myofibril Myofibril Z-disc Thick filament Thin filament

1 sarcomere, relaxed

1 sarcomere, contracted
Figure 7.5. Myofibrils are composed of myofilaments. Pencils can be used to model a sarcomere. When the over-
lap between the pencils increases, the sarcomere shortens. A myofibril consists of many sarcomeres lined up
end to end. When individual sarcomeres shorten, the entire muscle fiber (and thus the muscle) shortens. Which
structure is the same length as the muscle—the sarcomere or the myofibril?

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 238 Human Form, Human Function: Essentials of Anatomy & Physiology
● Now, imagine placing a bundle of thick pencils (sharp-
ened at both ends) between the two bundles of thin
pencils. Notice that pointed ends of the thick pencils
in this middle bundle face pointed ends of the thin
pencils on either side.
● Finally, imagine pushing the thin pencil bundles into
the thick pencil bundle in such a way that the thick
and thin sharpened tips overlap slightly like inter-
locked fingertips.
And there you have it: a pencil replica of one sarco-
mere, which is the basic unit of skeletal muscle (Fig.
7.5B). A muscle fiber contains thousands of end-to-end
sarcomeres, each a set of interdigitated bundles of thick
and thin “pencils” joined at the “erasers” on each end.
The joined eraser ends of the thin pencils are analogous
to the Z-discs of a myofibril, which are found on either
side of the sarcomere.
To imagine muscle contraction, imagine sliding the
two sets of thin pencils toward each other over the center
bundle of thick pencils. As the overlap of thick and thin
pencils increases, the length of the whole sarcomere
shortens. This is the essence of muscle contraction— the
degree of overlap of thick and thin bundles increases as
the sarcomere contracts, but the length of each thick and
thin myofilament remains unchanged. This model of
muscle contraction is called the sliding filament mecha-
nism, since filaments are sliding over each other.
Myofibril Myofilaments
Thin filament
Troponin Tropomyosin
Actin
molecule
Binding site
Figure 7.6. Thick and thin filaments. Thick filaments are composed of myosin molecules; thin filaments of actin,
troponin, and tropomyosin. Which protein covers the myosin binding site on the actin molecules?
LWBK585-c07_p226-279.indd 238
A single sarcomere is very small, only a few microm-
eters in length, but sarcomeres lined up end to end
produce a myofibril that runs the entire length of a
muscle fiber (Fig. 7.5B). As each sarcomere shortens,
the entire myofibril shortens, the muscle fiber short-
ens, and thus the muscle shortens. Voila! Muscle con-
traction. Later we will see how the contraction of every
sarcomere, myofibril, and muscle fiber of a motor unit
occurs at the same time—a property that ensures
smooth contraction.
The striated appearance of skeletal muscle examined
under a light microscope is an orderly series of light and
dark bands produced by the overlap of thick and thin
filaments and the end-to-end junctions of sarcomeres.
Details are presented in the accompanying Basic Form,
Basic Function box, titled How the Muscle Got Its
Stripes.
Remember This! During muscle contraction,
sarcomeres and myofibrils shorten, but myofilaments
do not change in length.
Myofilaments Are Composed
of Contractile Proteins
The molecular structure (form) of thick and thin filaments
is essential to their contractile nature (function) (Fig. 7.6).
Thick filament
Binding sites
Myosin
molecule
8/2/10 4:49:16 PM
 Chapter 7 Muscles 239

BASIC FORM, BASIC FUNCTION

How the Muscle Got Its Stripes

Recall that striated muscle can be identified by its stripes; Thin filament A band Thick filament
it is crossed by alternating light and dark microscopic
M line
bands (stria) when examined under a light microscope.
The stripes are also useful for another reason—they can
help us visualize the minute movements of thick and thin
filaments during muscle contraction.
The dark bands, called A bands, are dark because
they contain the more opaque thick filaments. The light
bands, called I bands, are light because they are
I band H band
composed exclusively of thin filaments. Recall,
however, that thin and thick filaments overlap. The dark (a) Sarcomere at rest Z line
(A) bands are darkest on each end, where they overlap
with thin filaments: this packing of thick and thin
A band
filaments blocks the most light. The H zone is the
relatively paler region within the A band where only the
thick filaments are present. In the center of the light (I)
band is a zigzag line; which is the Z-disc, where the
bundles of thin fibers meet and which marks the place
where sarcomere units join together.
Note that a sarcomere is the space between Z-discs
and is formed by half of a light (I) zone at each end and
dark (A) band in the center; and that the light (I) zone is
I band H band
formed of the butting ends of two sarcomeres. Note
further that when a sarcomere shortens, the Z-discs (b) Contraction fiber and filament sliding
move closer together, I bands shorten, but the A band Muscle fiber zones and lines.
remains the same length. Why? Because the A band is a
thick filament, which always stays the same length. The
I bands, conversely, are thin filaments that do not the thick filaments. Finally, what happens to H zone,
overlap with thick filaments. As we increase the overlap representing thick filaments not overlapping with
between thick and thin filaments, more of the thin thin filaments? As with the I band, it shrinks as the
filament slides into the A band, where it is obscured by sarcomere shortens.

Thick filaments are bundles of myosin protein. Each
molecule of myosin is composed of a long shaft (the tail),
one end of which terminates in two globular heads,
somewhat like a two-headed golf club, one head up the
shaft a bit from the other. Each myosin head has two
important binding sites, one for ATP and one for thin
filaments. When a myosin head is bound to the thin
filaments it forms a cross-bridge. Many myosin mole-
cules, with their heads pointing in opposite directions,
are bundled together to form a thick filament. The mol-
ecules overlap like golf clubs taped together to form a
chain, with the heads protruding over much of the
length—at one end the shafts of the myosin molecules
are joined end to end to form the headless central seg-
ment of the thick filament.
Thin filaments are composed of three proteins—actin,
tropomyosin, and troponin. The main constituent is actin,
a small globular protein. Each thin filament contains two
long strands of actin molecules that are twisted together,
much like a necklace composed of two intertwined strings
of pearls. Each actin molecule (that is, each “pearl”) con-
tains a binding site for a myosin head on a thick filament.
In the resting state, however, this binding site is covered
by tropomyosin, which prevents myosin binding until a
signal for contraction arrives from the nerve that inner-
vates the muscle. Troponin, the third constituent, controls

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 240 Human Form, Human Function: Essentials of Anatomy & Physiology
the tropomyosin molecules, keeping them in place over
the binding sites in relaxed muscle but moving them out
of the way for contraction to occur.
Remember This! Levels of skeletal muscle
organization, from largest to smallest, are: muscle
→ fascicle (bundle of muscle fibers) → muscle fiber
(muscle cell) → myofibril (bundle of myofilaments)
→ myofilament (strands of contractile proteins)
→ contractile protein.
Sarcomeres Shorten via the
Cross-Bridge Cycle
Recall from above that the thick and thin myofilaments
themselves do not shorten; they merely slide by one
another in a way that shortens the total length of the sar-
comere (and, of course, the myofibril itself). In the pencil
analogy, this process is accomplished by sliding the bun-
dles of thin pencils toward each other over the bundle of
thick pencils. In the muscle cell, the task of sliding the
bundles toward each other is the job of the myosin heads.
They succeed in producing this movement via a series of
three events collectively called the cross-bridge cycle:
● cross-bridge formation
● the power stroke
● cross-bridge detachment
The power stroke is the part of the cycle in which the
thin filament actually moves. Of the body’s many molec-
ular movements, this is among the strangest and most
effective. So let’s take a close look at how the power
stroke occurs before considering the cross-bridge cycle
as a whole.
The key operators in the power stroke are the myosin
heads. Each head serves as a claw that grabs a “pearl” of
actin on a thin filament, anchors itself to it, and snaps
backward, pulling the thin filament along the myosin tail
a short distance. After this short pull, the myosin heads
release, recock, and reattach to another actin pearl fur-
ther along the thin filament, ready to snap backward
again. In this way, the thick and thin filaments ratchet
along one another, like someone (the thick filament)
pulling up a rope (the thin filament) arm over arm.
Now let’s review the full sequence of events that pro-
duce muscle contraction (Fig. 7.7). In a muscle fiber at
rest, myosin-binding sites on actin molecules are cov-
ered by tropomyosin. In response to an action potential
in the sarcolemma and T-tubules, Ca2 is released from
LWBK585-c07_p226-279.indd 240
the sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR). Ca2 binds to and acti-
vates troponin, which moves tropomyosin out of the way,
exposing the myosin-binding site on each actin molecule
(steps 1 to 3 on Fig. 7.7). Once these binding sites are
exposed, the cross-bridge cycle (steps 4 to 7) can begin.
Cross-bridge formation occurs when “energized” myo-
sin heads bind actin (step 4). Why do we characterize the
myosin heads as energized? Recall from Chapter 2
that energy is released when ATP is cleaved into aden-
osine diphosphate (ADP) and phosphate. In a resting
muscle fiber, the ATP has already been cleaved and the
products, ADP and phosphate, are bound to the myosin
heads. The energy released by ATP cleavage is stored in
the “cocked” position of the myosin heads; that is, the
myosin head is energized (step 4).
This stored energy is used in step 5, the power stroke,
to pivot the myosin heads and move the thin filament.
The ADP and phosphate molecules diffuse away imme-
diately after the power stroke, but the cross-bridge
remains in place.
The final step in the cross-bridge cycle, detachment,
can occur only with the help of additional ATP. Only
when a fresh ATP molecule binds to the myosin head
(step 6) does the myosin head release from the actin,
ready to begin another cross-bridge cycle (step 7).
Cross-bridge cycling occurs in waves, somewhat like
a centipede’s gait, so that the sliding motion is smooth,
not jerky, as it would otherwise be if every myosin head
pulled simultaneously like a rowing team. Such smooth
waves of molecular increments, repeated quickly thou-
sands of times, cause muscle fibers to shorten. Also, at
any point in the contraction, some of the myosin heads
are attached to the actin, so that the thin filaments can-
not slide back to their original positions.
Case Note
7.7. Hammid’s parents were told that his muscles
could not get enough energy (i.e., ATP) for prolonged
effort. Where does ATP bind in the myofilament?
It might help you to remember the events of the
cross-bridge cycle if you understand that rigor mortis,
the muscle stiffening that begins a few hours after death,
is due to the lack of ATP. In death, the body can no lon-
ger generate ATP. Therefore the cross-bridge cycle can
proceed up to step 5, where the myosin heads are firmly
bound to the actin binding sites. And there things stop:
relaxation cannot occur because, without a fresh ATP
molecule, the myosin heads cannot detach from the
8/2/10 4:49:17 PM
 Chapter 7 Muscles 241

Contraction

Actin Troponin

Thin Thick Z-line 1 Tropomyosin

Myosin binding
filament filament sites on the actin
molecules are ADP ADP
(a) The sliding filament model covered in resting Myosin
+ P + P binding site (covered)
fibers.
Myosin

2
The action Ca2
potential
releases Ca2
from the SR. Ca2 Myosin
binding site

3
Ca2 binds troponin.
7 Tropomyosin moves,
Myosin head binds next ADP ADP revealing myosin
actin (flagged). The ATP is + P + P binding sites.
cleaved to ADP + P; the
cycle repeats.

6 4
Myosin head Cross-bridge forms
releases actin when myosin head
when a fresh binds actin.
ATP binds.

ATP ADP ADP

+ P + P

Cross-bridge

5
Power stroke. ADP
Myosin head pivots,
moving actin. ADP ADP P P
and P dissociate from
the myosin head.

(b) The cross-bridge cycle

Figure 7.7. Muscle contraction. A. Thick filaments pull thin filaments toward each other during muscle contrac-
tion. B. The steps in muscle contraction. Notice that the flagged actin molecule has moved (from step 4 to step 6)
relative to the thick filament head. Does ATP bind to actin or myosin?

LWBK585-c07_p226-279.indd 241 8/2/10 4:49:17 PM

 242 Human Form, Human Function: Essentials of Anatomy & Physiology

actin. Rigor mortis loosens its death grip on the skeleton relaxation, an equally important component of any mus-
after about 24 hours, as enzymes escape from lysosomes cle contraction, is essentially the reverse of these steps
and digest myofibrils, allowing muscle to relax. (Fig. 7.8B).

1. Without continued action potentials in the motor

Remember This! ATP binding causes the
cross-bridge to release. The energy from ATP
cleavage is necessary for the power stroke.
Muscle Relaxes When Cross-Bridge
Cycling Ceases
We have now covered all of the elements of a successful
muscle contraction, from the arrival of an action poten-
tial at the neuromuscular junction to the cross-bridge
cycle. You can review these events in Figure 7.8A. Muscle
neuron, ACh release ceases. The constant efforts of
acetylcholinesterase finally degrade all ACh mole-
cules in the synaptic cleft.
2. Without ACh, the nicotinic receptor channels close,
and action potentials in the sarcolemma cease.
3. The SR calcium channels close when the action
potentials cease. The Ca2 pump takes up remaining
Ca2 ions into the SR.
4. As the sarcoplasmic Ca2 concentration drops, Ca2
dissociates from the troponin. Tropomyosin resumes
its previous position over the myosin binding sites.

Nerve 1 1
impulse Action potential Neuron stops
stimulates ACh firing action
release at the potentials; ACh
neuromuscular release ceases
junction. and all existing
ACh molecules
are degraded.
2
 ACh induces an  2
 
  action potential  Muscle action
    
  in the muscle  potentials cease;
       
 fiber.     membrane
  repolarizes.

3
Ca2 release
Sarcoplasmic from SR stops;
reticulum 3 Ca2 Ca2
Action potential Ca2 pump
stimulates Ca2 returns all Ca2
release from ions to SR.
SR. + ATP
Ca2
Ca2
4
4 Without Ca2,
Ca2 initiates tropomyosin
tropomyosin hides myosin
displacement, -binding sites.
revealing
myosin-binding
sites.
5
Myosin cannot
5 form cross-
Myosin forms bridges. Thin
cross-bridges filaments
with actin, passively slide
producing force. back to resting
position.

(a) Muscle contraction (b) Muscle relaxation

Figure 7.8. Muscle contraction and relaxation. A. Muscles contract by sarcomere shortening when calcium is
present in the sarcoplasm. B. Muscles relax when calcium is pumped out of the sarcoplasm. Which organelle
stores calcium in muscle cells?

LWBK585-c07_p226-279.indd 242 8/2/10 4:49:18 PM


5. Myosin can no longer bind actin—the thick filaments
“lose their grip” on the thin filaments. Remember
that muscle tissue is elastic, so the sarcomere rapidly
returns to its resting length.
7.9 What is a motor unit?
7.10 How does the electrical signal in
the neuron create an electrical signal in
the muscle fiber?
7.11 Name three proteins found in thin filaments.
7.1 2 Does calcium bind thick filaments or thin filaments?
Muscle Energy
A steady supply of ATP is required to maintain every
one of our cells, but muscle cells have particularly high
energy needs. ATP fuels three important aspects of
muscle activity:
● Sarcolemma membrane potential: Recall from
Chapter 4 that Na/K-ATPase is responsible for
maintaining the Na and K gradients across the cell
membrane, which are required for action potentials.
● Cross-bridge cycling: The myosin heads use the
energy from ATP cleavage for the myosin head power
stroke, and the cross-bridge breaks when a fresh ATP
molecule binds.
● Muscle relaxation: The calcium pump uses ATP to
actively transport calcium into the sarcoplasmic
reticulum.
Recall that ATP stores energy in a chemical bond. The
energy in this bond is released when a phosphate is
removed from ATP, generating ADP, as shown in this
reaction:
ATP  H2O → ADP H2O PO4  energy
Study of this reaction reveals that energy is required to
force it in the opposite direction; that is, to convert energy-
depleted ADP back into ATP. As shown next, we get most
of this energy from the chemical bonds in nutrients.
Different Processes Can
Generate ATP
Muscle cells are constantly generating ATP by a variety
of processes. In general, processes that produce larger
LWBK585-c07_p226-279.indd 243
Chapter 7 Muscles 243
amounts of ATP involve more chemical reactions and
thus require more time to complete. A contracting mus-
cle fiber may use all of the processes to varying degrees,
depending on the muscle type, the intensity of contrac-
tion, and the duration of the muscular activity.
ATP Stores and Creatine Phosphate
Provide Immediate Energy
Muscles store a small amount of ATP (generated earlier
by nutrient metabolism) to fuel the first few seconds of
activity. However, since muscle fibers rupture if muscle
ATP stores fall too low, various protective mechanisms
usually prevent excessive depletion of ATP stocks. One
of these mechanisms involves creatine phosphate, a
molecule unique to muscle (Fig. 7.9A). It works by con-
verting some of the energy-depleted ADP molecules
back into ATP molecules by transferring its phosphate
to ADP, a reaction that generates creatine plus ATP.
Muscle cells contain only enough creatine phosphate to
fuel about 10 seconds of activity. However, when the
muscle fibers are at rest, they can regenerate their cre-
atine phosphate stores by using ATP obtained from
nutrients. A high-energy phosphate molecule is trans-
ferred to a creatine molecule, producing ADP plus a new
molecule of creatine phosphate.
Glycolysis Produces Pyruvate and ATP
Glycolysis (glyco-  “sugar”; -lysis  “to break”), the
breakdown of glucose into pyruvate, is the fastest method
of generating ATP from nutrients (Fig. 7.9B). The initial
source of glucose is glycogen, a glucose polymer stored
within muscle fiber. Glycogen must be broken into indi-
vidual glucose molecules (actually, glucose-6-phosphate),
which are then used to generate ATP. This reaction is
called glycogenolysis, and is catalyzed by an enzyme,
glycogen phosphorylase. Blood glucose can also be used,
but glycogen is more abundant and supplies glucose-
6-phosphate at a faster rate.
Glycolysis occurs in the cytosol of muscle cells and is
an anaerobic process; that is, it does not require oxygen,
although it can also occur in the presence of oxygen. It
generates three ATP molecules per glucose molecule
derived from glycogen. When blood glucose is used, only
two ATP molecules are generated per glucose molecule,
because it costs one ATP molecule to convert blood glu-
cose into glucose-6-phosphate.
Pyruvate, the end-product of glycolysis, can be a source
of additional ATP. However, for reasons discussed in
Chapter 15, pyruvate is frequently converted first into
lactic acid. About half of this lactic acid will be converted
back into pyruvate within the same muscle cell, during the
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 244 Human Form, Human Function: Essentials of Anatomy & Physiology

(a) Creatine phosphate (b) Glycolysis (c) Mitochondrial ATP generation

Glycogen Pyruvate Fatty acid

Creatine P ADP Blood
glucose Amino
acids

Glucose 6-phosphate
+ O2

Pyruvate
Creatine
ATP
CO2
ATP
H2O
Lactic acid

Generates 1 ATP per Generates 2-3 ATP per Generates 30 ATP per glucose,
creatine phosphate glucose up to120 ATP per fatty acid

Figure 7.9. Muscle energy. A. Creatine phosphate transfers its phosphate group to ADP to generate ATP. When
ATP is abundant, this reaction runs in reverse to regenerate creatine phosphate molecules at the expense of ATP.
B. Glycolysis converts glucose produced by glycogen breakdown (or arriving in blood) into pyruvate. Pyruvate
can be converted into lactic acid, and lactic acid can be converted back into pyruvate. C. Mitochondria generate
large amounts of ATP from pyruvate, fatty acids, or amino acids. Which substance can be used directly to generate
ATP—lactic acid or pyruvate?

infinitesimally brief rest between individual contractions
(muscle fibers in a contracting muscle take turns produc-
ing force). Most of the remaining lactic acid will travel to
nearby muscle cells where it, too, will be converted back
into pyruvate. However, a very small amount of lactic acid
travels to the liver and is converted into glucose.
source—they effectively metabolize pyruvate (generated
by glycolysis) and fatty acids. The fatty acids can come
from blood or from lipid droplets within the muscle fiber.
The reaction is as follows:
Pyruvate or fatty acids  O2 → CO2  H2O  ATP

Mitochondria provide a slow and steady supply of

Case Note
ATP—they generate 30 ATPs per glucose molecule
7.8. Is Hammid suffering from a shortage of ATP, (recall that glycolysis also generates 2 to 3 ATPs per glu-
creatine phosphate, or calcium? cose molecule), or a staggering 120 ATPs per fatty acid
molecule.

Mitochondrial ATP Production Meets

Long-Term Energy Needs
Mitochondria contain a host of enzymes that completely
break down various nutrients and generate large
amounts of ATP (Fig. 7.9C). The complex series of
chemical reactions performed by these enzymes can be
divided into two stages––the citric acid cycle and mito-
chondrial respiration—and is discussed in detail in
Chapter 15.
Mitochondrial ATP generation is described as aerobic
because, unlike glycolysis, it requires oxygen. Most of the
required oxygen comes from oxygen bound to hemoglobin
in blood, but some of it is obtained from oxygen bound to
myoglobin in muscle. Although their oxygen need is abso-
lute, mitochondria are not picky about their nutrient
Remember This! Mitochondria do not
directly break down glucose to generate ATP.
Instead, they use pyruvate generated by glycolysis.
Especially in individuals consuming more protein than
their body requires, blood amino acids are taken up by
muscle fibers and used by mitochondria to generate ATP.
However, body protein is not usually broken down to gen-
erate amino acids for energy. Most body organs are built
on a framework of protein; hence, proteins are used for
fuel only as a last resort—using amino acids to generate
ATP is akin to burning the house down to keep warm. This
is why, for example, people who are starving lose muscle
mass—they are burning muscle protein to stay alive.

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 Chapter 7 Muscles 245

Case Notes Remember This! The terms anaerobic

7.9. Our patient Hammid cannot convert glycogen metabolism and glycolysis are often used
into glucose. Name the enzyme that accomplishes synonymously, but erroneously, since glycolysis is
the necessary first step in both aerobic metabolism
this reaction.
and anaerobic metabolism.
7.10. Which process is defective in Hammid’s muscle
cells—glycogenolysis or glycolysis?

Skeletal Muscle Fibers Are

Oxidative or Glycolytic
Muscle Cells Contract Aerobically Muscle fibers can be classified according to their primary
or Anaerobically method of ATP generation. Slow-twitch (oxidative,
type I) fibers are optimized for aerobic metabolism
Jogging and other endurance activities are often described
(Fig. 7.10).
as “aerobic exercise” because oxygen-dependent mito-
They contain many mitochondria and an abundant
chondria generate most of the required ATP, from gly-
supply of myoglobin, which stores oxygen. Slow-twitch
colysis-derived pyruvate, fatty acids, and perhaps amino
fibers are packed with blood vessels that keep them
acids. Muscle cells function aerobically if three condi-
supplied with glucose, oxygen, and fatty acids. Slow-
tions are met:
twitch fibers are generally thin, slow to contract, and
slow to fatigue. They are thus well suited to muscles that
1. The muscle cell contains abundant mitochondria.
are continuously at work, such as the muscles that
2. The muscle cell is supplied with adequate oxygen.
maintain posture. They also come into play during
3. The ATP needs of the muscle cell are low or moderate.
endurance exercise. Myoglobin is reddish, and slow-
twitch fibers, reflecting their high myoglobin content,
Conversely, athletic activities requiring short-lived, are dark reddish-brown.
powerful contractions are often described as “anaerobic On the other hand, fast-twitch (glycolytic, type II)
exercises,” because they meet their ATP needs using fibers are optimized for anaerobic metabolism (Table 7.2).
processes that do not require oxygen (stored ATP, cre- They need large supplies of creatine phosphate, glyco-
atine phosphate, and glycolysis). Anaerobic metabolism lytic enzymes, and glycogen because the muscle fiber
depends on muscle glycogen stores, since blood glucose will generate only three ATPs per glucose molecule.
delivery is too slow to keep up with demand. Most of the They have less myoglobin, fewer mitochondria, and
lactic acid produced as a glycolytic end product travels
to nearby muscle cells for further metabolism. However,
since lactic acid is generated faster than the noncon-
Type I fiber Type II fiber
tracting cells can convert it back into pyruvate, lactic
acid often accumulates in blood. Most investigators do
not believe that this lactic acid has any deleterious
effects on muscle function. Nevertheless, for reasons to
be discussed, muscle cells cannot generate ATP by
anaerobic metabolism for long without tiring.
Anaerobic metabolism occurs in three circumstances.
The first is a matter of imposed demand; that is, hard work.
Anaerobic metabolism provides an extra energy kick when
oxygen delivery to the muscle cell cannot keep up with the
needs of mitochondrial respiration. The second is a matter
of anatomy: anaerobic metabolism preferentially occurs in
some muscle cells, called glycolytic muscle fibers (discussed
later in the text). The third is a matter of timing: we use
anaerobic metabolism when we begin to exercise, because Figure 7.10. Muscle fiber types. The muscle fibers in this
micrograph have been stained for the slow type of myosin
the mitochondria take a few minutes to make enough ATP. found in slow-twitch (oxidative) muscle fibers. Which fibers
It is important to note that the latter two circumstances do would contain fewer mitochondria—the darker cells or the
not reflect inadequate oxygen supply. lighter cells?

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 246 Human Form, Human Function: Essentials of Anatomy & Physiology

fast-twitch fibers. By contrast, the muscles of the spine

Table 7.2 Muscle Fiber Types
and neck are predominantly slow-twitch fibers, because
Fast-Twitch Slow-Twitch these muscles are in constant use maintaining posture.
Characteristic Glycolytic Oxidative

Appearance White Red Case Note

Primary ATP source Anaerobic Aerobic 7.11. Recall that Hammid cannot walk on his toes
metabolism metabolism without cramping. The muscle required for toe-
walking, the gastrocnemius, has few mitochondria
Mitochondria/capillaries Few Many and large muscle fibers. Is it primarily composed of
fast-twitch or slow-twitch fibers?
Glycogen reserves High Low

Myoglobin content Low High

Rate of fatigue Rapid Slow Case Discussion

Fiber size Large Small
Contraction speed Fast Slow
fewer blood vessels than slow-twitch fibers. Thus, fast-
twitch fibers are pale or whitish. Although they tire
quickly, they are large and strong; thus they are well
suited to explosive, large movements (such as lifting a
heavy box or sprinting). Want to know more? Refer to
the Type IIa muscle fibers: The Best of Both Worlds box
on http://thepoint.lww.com/McConnellandHull.com
for information about “superfibers” that combine the
advantages of slow- and fast-twitch types.
To memorize these distinctions, it may help you to
recall that chicken, turkey, and quail breast is “white
meat” because it is composed mainly of fast-twitch fibers
to power intense wing motion for short flights. By con-
trast, ducks and doves are migratory birds and their
breast meat is reddish “dark meat” because it is com-
posed of slow-twitch fibers to power sustained flights
over hundreds of miles.
Most human skeletal muscles are a mixture of slow-
and fast-twitch fibers; however, the fibers of any given
motor unit are all of the same type. The percentage of fast
and slow fibers in each muscle is genetically determined:
some people have more fast-twitch fibers in certain mus-
cles; others have more slow-twitch fibers in the same
muscles. What’s more, proportions vary according to
muscle location and function. For example, the muscles
of the upper limb and shoulder are predominantly fast-
twitch fibers because they are used intermittently and
briefly to produce large amounts of force for activities
such as manipulating tools, lifting, or throwing. The mus-
cles that power eye movements are composed entirely of
Muscle Energy Metabolism:
The Case of Hammid S.
Hammid
H suffers from a genetic defect in
which
w he lacks an enzyme—glycogen
phosphorylase—that
p is essential for the
breakdown
b of glycogen. This reaction,
called
c glycogenolysis, is necessary to
provide
p the large amounts of glucose
required
r for strenuous muscle activity.
Understanding how muscle gets its
energy supplies is the key to understand-
ing Hammid’s signs and symptoms (Fig. 7.11). Recall that
muscle obtains energy in three different ways:
1. ATP stores and creatine phosphate fuel the first few
seconds of any contraction.
2. Glycogenolysis (glycogen breakdown), followed by
glycolysis (pyruvate generation from glucose) can
also generate energy relatively quickly at the begin-
ning of the contraction. This process also provides an
extra “kick” of energy when large amounts of ATP
are needed in a short time period.
3. Aerobic metabolism, which requires oxygen to
metabolize pyruvate (generated by glycolysis) or
fatty acids, provides a steady supply of ATP over the
long term. This process can use muscle stores of gly-
cogen and fat or blood supplies of glucose and fatty
acids.
Note that Hammid has no difficulty initiating muscle
contractions, because his muscles have a normal, small
store of ATP and creatine phosphate. This enables him
to get under way. Nor is his long-term daily activity
impaired—he is okay as long as demand is low. Using
mitochondrial respiration, he can burn fatty acids from
fat, or amino acids from protein, and he can even burn
glucose obtained from his blood. But when demand is

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 Chapter 7 Muscles 247

Glycogen phosphorylase deficiency

Impaired
Normal ATP stores and no effect no effect Normal aerobic
glycogen breakdown
creatine phosphate metabolism
into glucose

Normal mitochondrial
Immediate ATP Reduced
respiration
needs met anaerobic metabolism

Reduced lactic Intense exercise ATP Long-term ATP

acid accumulation needs NOT met needs met

Fatigue Muscle cell rupture

Myoglobin enters Blood creatine kinase

blood, eventually urine levels rise

Red/brown urine

Figure 7.11. Muscle energy metabolism and Hammid S. How do we know that some of
Hammid’s muscle cells have ruptured?

high, his body cannot supply glucose by breaking down
his abundant stores of glycogen because his defective
gene cannot make the enzyme necessary to do the job.
Hammid’s problem therefore arises when he engages in
sustained, vigorous activities that exhaust the available
fuel. After a few minutes of strenuous effort, he con-
sumes his entire supply of blood glucose; mitochondrial
respiration is too slow to supply all of the demands for
ATP, and his ability to obtain glucose from glycogen is
defective.
Confirming the diagnosis is the important observa-
tion that Hammid’s blood lactic acid did not rise as it
normally should with strenuous activity. Why? Because
during intense exercise, a normal person can use gly-
cogenolysis to generate the large amount of glucose
required for anaerobic metabolism. As glycolysis rapidly
breaks down many glucose molecules into pyruvate,
the pyruvate is converted into lactic acid. However,
Hammid’s metabolism is not normal—he can’t break
down glycogen to supply glucose. His glycolytic system
must rely on blood glucose alone and quickly exhausts
the supply before excess pyruvate can accumulate and
be converted into lactate.
When Hammid’s muscles call for large amounts of
fuel, the call goes unanswered, and the ATP levels in the
muscle cell fall dangerously low. As a result, muscle cells
rupture, releasing their contents (which include myo-
globin and the creatine kinase enzyme) into the blood
and eventually into the urine. Muscle cramps occur, cre-
atine kinase levels are elevated in Hammid’s blood, and
myoglobin stains his urine brown.
Hammid’s parents were advised to steer him away
from vigorous activities like sprinting and soccer and
to encourage moderate exercise such as jogging or
hiking, which would increase the ability of his muscles
to perform mitochondrial respiration. They were also
instructed to make sure that he consumes a candy bar
or a sugar-containing drink such as orange juice about
30 minutes before exercise in order to elevate his
blood glucose. Finally, they were advised to insist that
Hammid stop exercising if cramping occurred.

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 248 Human Form, Human Function: Essentials of Anatomy & Physiology
Case Note
7.12. On the molecular level, what is Hammid’s
problem?
Skeletal Muscle Experiences Fatigue
When muscle is vigorously exercised for a long time, it
loses the ability to respond to nerve stimulation, a con-
dition known as muscle fatigue. Fiber contraction
becomes weaker and weaker and finally stops alto-
gether. We used to think that muscle fatigue reflected
ATP depletion or lactic acid accumulation, but we now
know that neither of these hypotheses can account for
most cases of fatigue. So why does fatigue occur? The
causes are many and varied, reflecting the nature of the
exercise and the training state of the individual.
The major limit in submaximal endurance exercise is
the ability to generate ATP. Untrained muscles fatigue
because they have a blood delivery problem—they don’t
have enough capillaries perfusing their oxidative fibers.
One of the benefits of endurance training is the growth
of more blood vessels supplying oxidative fibers. In
these trained individuals, glycogen stores then become
the limiting factor.
Fatigue in maximal anaerobic exercise is thought to
reflect phosphate accumulation. Recall that the energy is
liberated from ATP by cleaving off one phosphate. Maxi-
mal exercise uses a lot of ATP in a short time, resulting in
the accumulation of many phosphates. Phosphate inter-
feres with contraction directly, by blocking cross-bridge
formation, as well as indirectly, by reacting with calcium
in the SR and reducing its release into the sarcoplasm.
However, we rarely see true muscle fatigue of the types
described above, which are also known as peripheral
fatigue. As accomplished athletes say, “The mind wears
out before the muscle.” Essentially, untrained athletes
find the sensations created by exercise unpleasant; they,
therefore, lessen their effort in order to gain relief. Also,
many conditions (such as increased body temperature)
lead the brain to send fewer signals to muscles. Thus, the
most common cause of fatigue originates in the central
nervous system and is thus called central fatigue.
Case Notes
7.13. Why do you think Hammid’s muscles fatigue so
easily?
7.14. Many athletes “carbo-load” in order to build up
their glycogen stores and increase their resistance to
fatigue. Would carbo-loading help Hammid?
LWBK585-c07_p226-279.indd 248
7.13 Name the two sources of ATP
that fuel the first seconds of a contraction.
7.14 Some of the ATP used by muscle
cells is used to actively transport a
specific ion into the SR. Name this ion.
7.15 True or false: A single ATP molecule is generated
when creatine is converted into creatine phosphate.
7.16 True or false: The muscle cell uses up all of its
stored ATP before it begins to generate more.
7.17 Which nutrient can generate ATP without entering
the mitochondria—glucose or fatty acids?
7.18 What is the end product of glycolysis?
7.19 True or false: Lactic acid is a source of ATP—it can
be used by muscle fibers to generate pyruvate, which
can be used to generate ATP.
7.20 Which nutrient generates more ATP per
molecule—glucose or fatty acid?
7.21 Which ATP-generating processes are considered
to be anaerobic—that is, which do not require oxygen?
7.22 Which of the following is not a requirement for
aerobic metabolism: abundant oxygen, large glycogen
stores, or abundant mitochondria?
7.23 Which fibers receive a greater blood supply—
type I or type II?
7.24 Name three causes of muscle fatigue in
endurance exercise.
The Mechanics of Muscle
Contraction
The force of a muscle contraction is exquisitely con-
trolled; we can use the same muscles to hold a delicate
glass ornament and to wring water from a face towel.
The force an individual muscle exerts depends on:
● The force exerted by each contracting fiber
● The number of motor units contracting
Individual Fibers Provide Force
Recall that muscle contraction is accomplished by cross-
bridges formed between the myosin heads of the thick
filaments and the actin binding sites of thin filaments.
8/2/10 4:49:28 PM
 Chapter 7 Muscles 249

Contraction strength depends, therefore, upon how
many cross-bridges form. Cross-bridge number, in turn,
depends on how many myosin heads can reach the thin
filaments and how many binding sites on the thin fila-
ments are available.
Contractile Power Depends on Muscle
Fiber Length
Sarcomere length, and thus muscle length, is one deter-
minant of the force developed by an individual muscle
fiber. At the optimal sarcomere length, all of the myosin
heads are positioned to be in contact with actin molecules
and form cross-bridges, and the contraction will generate
the maximum amount of tension possible (Fig. 7.12A,
middle). This property of muscle is called the length–ten-
sion relationship. At very short sarcomere lengths, the
thin filaments are pulled so close that they meet in the
middle and overlap, which covers their binding sites and
interferes with the ability to form cross-bridges with
thick filaments (Fig. 7.12A, left).
At very long sarcomere lengths, the exact opposite
occurs—the thin filaments are so far apart that they lose
most of their contact with the thick filaments (Fig. 7.12A,
right). Thus, they contract poorly.
If we remember that sarcomeres are lined up end to
end in a muscle, it is possible to extrapolate this length–
tension relationship to the behavior of an entire muscle.
Try performing a biceps curl. Holding a weight in your
hand, start with the arm straight, elbow extended. In this
position, the biceps muscle is relaxed and lengthened.
Lift the weight, palm up, by flexing your elbow. As you
do, the muscle shortens. Notice that the action is most
difficult at the very beginning and very end of the curl
because the sarcomeres are too long at the outset and
too short at the end. Conversely, the middle portion of the
curl is relatively easy, because the sarcomeres are at
their optimal length and can generate the most force.

Just right

Too short
Too long

Complete
lncomplete tetanus tetanus
Maxium
Contraction strength (% max.)

100
Force

Twitch
50

Action Action Action

Sacromere length potential potentials potentials

(a) The length-tension relationship of skeletal muscle (b) Twitches and tetanus

Figure 7.12. Determinants of force. A. The force generated by individual fibers varies according to the muscle
length, which determines the sarcomere length. At the optimum length, all myosin heads are able to form cross-
bridges with actin molecules. B. The force generated by individual fibers depends upon the frequency of stimula-
tion. Everyday productive muscle contractions usually involve incomplete tetanus. Which type of contraction is
invoked by a single action potential?

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 250 Human Form, Human Function: Essentials of Anatomy & Physiology

Physiological Contractions muscle fibers are usually grouped into small motor units,
Are Unfused Tetanus whereas motor units containing fast-twitch muscle fibers
are usually larger. Motor units, like individual muscle
A single action potential in a muscle fiber results in a
fibers, contract maximally or not at all. Thus, the amount
weak, transient muscle contraction called a twitch (Fig.
of contractile power generated by an entire muscle
7.12B, far left). A slightly stronger state of contraction
depends on the number and type of motor units involved.
results if a second action potential occurs before the twitch
The process of adding additional motor units to produce
is finished; that is, the force of the two twitches is summed
a graded increase of force is called recruitment.
together. Subsequent action potentials result in progres-
As a skeletal muscle contracts, first only a few motor
sively greater force, until a third state called incomplete
units are stimulated, and they are recruited in specific
tetanus is reached, in which the muscle fiber only relaxes
order. Slow-twitch fibers are recruited first; fast-twitch
slightly between subsequent contractions (Fig. 7.12B,
fibers are recruited if more force is necessary. Even at
right). Only in maximal contractions, such as lifting the
peak muscle force, not all motor units are active at the
heaviest weight possible for a single repetition, do we see
same time: they rotate in and out of service, some relax-
the fourth state of contraction, complete tetanus, in which
ing after using up their resources while others fill the
action potentials arrive so frequently that the fiber does
need for contractile force until they, too, need a break.
not relax at all between contractions (Fig. 7.12B, right).
Muscle fibers of various motor units are intermingled,
These responses to different action potential fre-
so that two fibers of the same motor unit are not adja-
quencies underline the importance of calcium in force
cent to each other—some will be on one side of the mus-
generation—recall that calcium enables cross-bridge
cle or deep within, others on the other side or superfi-
formation, and calcium reuptake into the sarcoplasmic
cial. This means that even a weak contraction (which
reticulum results in relaxation. A single action potential
recruits only a few motor units) will recruit muscle fibers
does not release enough calcium to bind all of the tro-
scattered throughout the muscle to ensure symmetrical
ponin molecules, so not enough cross-bridges can form
contraction. Otherwise, a weak contraction would acti-
to generate maximum force. However, with repeated
vate only one region of the muscle and the contraction
stimulation, the rate of Ca2 release is greater than the
would pull unevenly on the bone.
rate of Ca2 reuptake, so Ca2 levels rise progressively
higher with each successive action potential. The rate of
calcium release is so high in complete tetanus that all Muscle Fiber Contraction May or
binding sites are continually occupied, generating con- May Not Produce Movement
tinuous, maximal force.
So far our assumption has been that contraction of a
In everyday contractions, each skeletal muscle fiber
muscle fiber causes it to shorten. These dynamic or
receives action potentials at a high enough frequency to
isotonic contractions—literally, “same tone” or “same
induce incomplete tetanus. In other words, contraction
force” contractions—are the stuff of everyday move-
in an individual muscle fiber is all or none—individual
ment. Constant force is maintained over the course of a
muscle fibers contract maximally or not at all. We do not
contraction, but the length changes. For example, lifting
perceive the partial relaxations between subsequent
a weight in the gym or chewing your food are motions
contractions, because muscle fibers in different motor
powered by isotonic contractions. Isotonic contractions
units alternate contracting and relaxing.
can be classified into two subtypes:

● Concentric contractions shorten the muscle, bringing

Remember This! In an everyday contraction
at a given fiber length, contraction of individual
muscle fibers is all or none, as the fiber contracts in
incomplete tetanus.
● Eccentric contractions, conversely, generate a restrain-
Contractile Power Depends on
Number of Motor Units Involved
Recall that a motor unit is a group of muscle fibers inner-
vated by a single motor neuron (Fig. 7.3). Motor units vary
in size and in the force they can generate: slow-twitch
the muscle attachment closer to the origin, as in rais-
ing a weight in a biceps curl (Fig. 7.13B). In concentric
contractions, myofilaments slide; sarcomeres, fibers,
and muscles shorten; and movement occurs.
ing force as the muscle lengthens (Fig. 7.13C),
enabling the weight to be smoothly and controllably
lowered following a biceps curl. In eccentric contrac-
tions, the myosin heads grab onto the actin filaments
and slow the rate of movement, somewhat like apply-
ing a brake. Contrary to intuition, eccentric contractions

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 Chapter 7 Muscles 251

are actually more powerful than concentric contrac-

tions; that is, you use greater strength in lowering a
heavy object than in lifting it.

However, the thing common to all muscle contraction

Muscle
length does
is force, not movement. For example, if you try to lift a
not change weight far beyond your strength, your muscles will con-
tract but the weight won’t budge: the fibers are generat-
ing force but not shortening because you are attempting
to move an object that is—at least for you—immovable.
Contractions that do not alter muscle length are called
isometric contractions—literally, “same length” con-
(a) Isometric contraction tractions (Fig. 7.13A). Force is generated and the muscle
tenses; however, the myofibrils do not slide and the
muscle does not change length. We perform isometric
contractions all the time in order to oppose the down-
ward force of gravity. For instance, the weight lifter in
Figure 7.13C is exerting just enough upward force to
Muscle offset the force of gravity pulling the weight downward.
shortens
Movement

Similarly, isometric contractions maintain our upright

body posture. Think about it: you do not have to concen-
trate on contracting your neck muscles in order to keep
your head erect during the day, nor do you have to think
about keeping your spine erect while sitting or standing.
(b) Concentric isotonic contraction Subconscious, imperceptible isometric contractions do
the job so you can focus on other matters.
Muscle tone is a state of subconscious isometric con-
traction that occurs even in voluntarily relaxed muscle.
It maintains muscle in a healthy state, much the way
that normal physical stress maintains healthy bone. If
the nerve supply to a muscle is interrupted, perhaps
t because of an accident, the muscle loses its tone and
en Muscle
becomes flaccid (soft, flabby). If the nerve connection is
m

lengthens
ve
Mo

not reestablished, muscle fibers begin to shrink (atro-

(c) Eccentric isotonic contraction
Figure 7.13. Isometric and concentric contractions. A. Iso-
metric contractions, such as those keeping a heavy weight
stationary, generate force but do not change muscle
length. B. In a concentric contraction, the muscle shortens
as it generates force to (in this example) raise a weight.
C. In an eccentric contraction, the muscle lengthens as it
generates force to (in this example) lower a weight. During
which type(s) of contraction does cross-bridge cycling occur?
phy). Complete lack of muscle tone is called flaccid
paralysis and occurs when somatic motor nerves are
unable to deliver action potentials to the muscle. For
example, flaccid paralysis occurs with administration of
Botox, which blocks the release of ACh from the somatic
motor neuron at the neuromuscular synapse. The loss of
facial wrinkles is due to induced flaccid paralysis of facial
muscles that bunch skin into wrinkles. Flaccid paralysis
also occurs with the severing of a peripheral nerve, or
with severe spinal cord injury. In each of these examples
the brain is not involved. By contrast, spastic paralysis is
due to damage to the brain, which impairs the control of
muscles. With brain lesions, voluntary control is lost,
leaving the spinal cord to send uncontrolled action
potentials to muscle, which causes uncontrolled muscle
contraction. For example, the awkward, stiff gait of some
patients with brain damage from stroke, cerebral palsy,
or head injury is a manifestation of spastic paralysis.

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 252 Human Form, Human Function: Essentials of Anatomy & Physiology
Case Note
7.15. Will Hammid have trouble with forceful
isometric contractions?
Remember This! The thing common to all
muscle contraction is force, not movement.
Exercise Has a Positive
Effect on Muscles
The saying “use it or lose it” applies to muscles just as it
does to the practice of a skill. A worked muscle is a
healthy muscle, and muscle improves its health accord-
ing to the type of work it performs. Exercise improves
the power and endurance of skeletal muscle. But the
greatest benefit of exercise lies elsewhere: every system
in the body is improved by physical exercise (see
Chapter 18). Among nonsmokers, regular exercise is
arguably the most important single activity for improv-
ing general health. Smokers benefit from exercise too,
but the gain is small compared with the positive effect
of quitting smoking.
Muscle power is improved by strength training
regimes (also called resistance training), such as weight
lifting, that increase muscle size. These exercises require
repeated short bursts of powerful muscle action that
overload and stress the muscle. We used to think that
adult muscles grew only by enlarging existing muscle
fibers with new myofibrils. Although this process does
occur, it now seems certain that signifi cant muscle
growth reflects the participation of muscle stem cells,
the satellite cells. Recall that the stem cells of adult mus-
cle are located at the periphery of the muscle fiber.
Exercise stimulates these stem cells to proliferate, pro-
ducing new myoblasts that fuse with existing muscle
fibers to make them larger. Myoblasts may also fuse with
each other to produce entirely new muscle fibers.
Muscle power is critical in athletic endeavors requir-
ing a large amount of force output, including the 100-
yard dash, the pole vault, the high jump, and weight lift-
ing. Note that these activities are often called anaerobic
because they rely on anaerobic metabolism. Anaerobic
exercises also enhance the ability of the larger, stronger
muscle cells to produce ATP, using creatine phosphate
and glycolysis.
Muscle endurance (resistance to fatigue) is improved by
aerobic exercise that relies on mitochondrial ATP genera-
tion. These exercises require sustained low-level muscle
action to improve muscle blood supply and increase the
LWBK585-c07_p226-279.indd 252
number of mitochondria. Endurance exercise also acti-
vates satellite cells, but muscles do not grow significantly
bigger. Athletic performances that rely on aerobic condi-
tioning include long-distance running, cross-country ski-
ing, cycling, and long-distance swimming events. As dis-
cussed in later chapters, aerobic exercise also exerts
beneficial effects on many other body systems, particu-
larly the cardiovascular and respiratory systems.
Case Note
7.16. Hammid wants to build up his muscles by lifting
weights, but his physicians advise against it. Why?
7.25 What is the difference between
incomplete and complete tetanus, and
which occurs more frequently?
7.26 True or false: Muscle contraction is always the
strongest when the muscle is as long as possible.
7.27 Which type of motor unit is recruited first—that
containing slow-twitch (type I) or fast-twitch (type II)
fibers?
7.28 To generate a stronger contraction in skeletal
muscle independent of muscle length, do we vary the
force produced by each muscle fiber, alter the force
produced by each motor unit, or vary the number of
motor units recruited?
7.29 Give an example of an isometric and an isotonic
muscle contraction.
7.30 Name an aerobic and an anaerobic exercise.
Smooth Muscle
Despite its functional importance, it is diffi cult for
smooth muscle to get the respect it deserves. In the gym
or on the athletic field, cardiac and skeletal muscles get
all of the attention, as sweaty athletes admire their mus-
cles and count their heart rates. Meanwhile, smooth
muscle labors along, slow and reliable, tirelessly and
quietly doing various jobs, such as massaging food
through the gut to provide energy for the show, regulat-
ing blood flow by adjusting the diameter of blood ves-
sels, and tightening sphincter muscles to hold urine and
feces for release at another time.
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Sheets of smooth muscle occur in the walls of all but
the smallest blood vessels and in the walls of hollow
organs: the intestines, the bronchial airway, the urinary
and reproductive tracts, and others.
Smooth muscle takes about 25 times as long to con-
tract as skeletal muscle and consumes only about 1% as
much energy. Since smooth muscle contractions are
relatively slow and do not generate the explosive force
characteristic of skeletal muscle, aerobic metabolism,
using nutrients from the blood, can easily meet smooth
muscle’s low energy needs—no need for anaerobic
metabolism or stored glycogen here. Actin–myosin
cross-bridges may latch semipermanently in a latch
state, not unlike the rigor mortis that occurs after death,
in which the cross-bridge cycle ceases while actin and
myosin remain bound together. This latch state enables
smooth muscle to maintain muscle tension without
expending any energy at all, a state called smooth muscle
tone. This low-level contraction is necessary for the
proper function of blood vessels and other hollow struc-
tures that must maintain their size or shape against con-
stant pressure.
The structure of smooth muscle cells and tissue is
fundamentally different from that of skeletal and car-
diac muscle (Fig. 7.14; Table 7.1). Not surprisingly, these
structural differences account for the different contrac-
tion characteristics of smooth muscle: its slow, sustain-
able contraction; its tirelessness; its stretchiness; and its
ability to propagate automatic waves of contraction.
Thin filament Intermediate Thick filament
(actin) filament (myosin)
Dense body
Dense body Myosin
Actin
(a) Relaxed smooth muscle
Figure 7.14. Smooth muscle. A. A relaxed smooth muscle cell. Myosin molecules are interspersed between the
actin molecules. B. A contracted cell. Myosin heads pull on thin filaments, increasing the overlap between the
two filament types and shortening the cell. How are actin molecules anchored—by Z-lines or dense bodies?
LWBK585-c07_p226-279.indd 253
Chapter 7 Muscles 253
Smooth Muscle Differs Structurally
from Skeletal Muscle
Recall that in skeletal muscle the muscle cells are called
fibers because they are very long and thin. In contrast,
smooth muscle cells are short and plump. They have
pointed ends and a bulge in the middle to accommodate
a single nucleus, which lies squarely in the center of
the cell, not to one side as in cardiac and skeletal muscle
fibers. They are small for two reasons: their contractions
are relatively weak, requiring fewer myofibrils, and they
rely primarily on aerobic metabolism, which means they
don’t require large stores of glycogen.
Smooth muscle cells are formed upon a three-dimen-
sional criss-cross structure of noncontractile interme-
diate filaments (Chapter 3), which are intercon-
nected somewhat like a schoolyard jungle gym
(intermediate filaments also strengthen skeletal muscle
fibers but are organized differently). The filaments are
interconnected by dense bodies, small dense protein
discs scattered over the sarcolemma (muscle cell mem-
brane). Dense bodies are the functional equivalent of
the Z-disc in skeletal muscle; that is, they are anchor
points for the filaments. Smooth muscle contraction, like
that of skeletal muscle, is enabled by myofilaments—
thick myosin filaments and thin actin filaments. These
myofilaments are not arranged in perfectly ordered
ranks, so that, unlike skeletal muscle, no dark-and-light
pattern of striae (stripes) is created. Because of the
Thin filament Thick filament Intermediate
(actin) (myosin) filament
(b) Contracted smooth muscle
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 254 Human Form, Human Function: Essentials of Anatomy & Physiology

arrangement of myofilaments and their association with

1a
the dense bodies, smooth muscle cells bulge out as they A chemical signal 1c
shorten (Fig. 7.14B). Even though smooth muscle cells binds a membrane Ca2 A mechanical
receptor, or... signal (stretch)
are much shorter than skeletal muscle cells, the myo- activates Ca2
filaments inside of smooth muscle cells are longer. In channels directly.
addition, the thick (myosin) filaments in smooth muscle
have protruding heads along their entire length, so there 2
The signal opens
is no headless zone like the “golf club shaft” in skeletal Ca2 channels in the
myosin. As a result, the length–tension relationship cell membrane
and/or SR. Calcium
illustrated in Figure 7.12 does not apply to smooth mus- enters sarcoplasm.
cle. Even when smooth muscle cells are stretched greatly, 1b
An electrical
at least some of the myosin heads can still contact actin, signal changes
so the filaments can continue to claw out contractile the membrane
potential or... Sarcoplasmic
force regardless of cell length. Ca2 reticulum
The arrangement of smooth muscle cells into tissues Sarcoplasm Ca2
also contributes to the muscle’s stretchiness. Most smooth
muscle cells are layered upon one another to form sheets 3
Ca2
of cells similar to multiple layers of shingles on a roof. Intracellular Ca2
concentration
This arrangement enables smooth muscle to be stretched increases.
in many directions without tearing as the cells slide
across one another to accommodate the stretch. 4
Myosin Ca2 activates
enzymes that
activate the myosin
Remember This! Intermediate filaments head.
form the scaffolding of a smooth muscle cell, and
myofilaments contract the cell. 5
Activated myosin
heads pull on actin;
Actin Dense body tension develops.
In Smooth Muscle, Calcium Acts
on Myosin, Not Actin
Figure 7.15. Smooth muscle regulation. Calcium enters the
To understand smooth muscle contraction and how it dif- cytoplasm in response to a chemical, mechanical, or elec-
fers from skeletal muscle contraction, recall some of the trical signal and indirectly stimulates activity of the myosin
head. The activated myosin molecules form cross-bridges
details of the latter. Cross-bridge cycling requires that
with actin and contract the muscle. True or false: Most of
myosin heads in thick filaments bind to actin in thin fila- the calcium comes from the extracellular fluid.
ments in order to claw out a contraction, but access to the
thin-filament binding sites is controlled by troponin. A
surge of Ca2 ions stimulates troponin to expose the Because of these two important differences, the
binding site. The myosin head then engages the actin events of smooth muscle contraction differ from those
binding site for the power stroke of contraction. In smooth in skeletal muscle (Fig. 7.15). Considerable variation
muscle cells, the steps of the cross-bridge cycle detailed exists in the mechanism of smooth muscle contraction,
in Figure 7.7 are still relevant. However, smooth muscle but a typical sequence is as follows:
differs in both the source and the role of the Ca2 ions:
1. An event—a chemical signal (e.g., neurotransmitter),
● Source of Ca2 ions. Smooth muscle cells have very little an electrical signal (e.g., graded or action potential), or
SR. Instead, in smooth muscle, Ca2 influx comes mainly a mechanical signal (e.g., stretch)—activates calcium
through the cell membrane from extracellular fluid. channels in the cell membrane and, in some cases, in
● Role of Ca2 ions. Smooth muscle cells contain no tro- the SR. Chemical signals must use a second-messenger
ponin, so myosin binding sites on the thin filaments are system. These signals are discussed further below.
always exposed. Instead of controlling the access to thin- 2. Calcium enters the cytoplasm from the extracellular
filament binding sites, calcium in smooth muscle regu- fluid and possibly the limited amount of SR.
lates the activity of the myosin heads on thick filaments. 3. The intracellular Ca2 concentration increases.
That is, only if calcium is present does the myosin cleave 4. Through a number of intervening enzymatic steps,
ATP and move through the cross-bridge cycle. calcium activates myosin heads.

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5. Activated myosin heads form cross-bridges with
actin molecules, and the filaments slide upon one
another, causing muscle contraction.
Remember This! The myosin heads are
regulated in smooth muscle; the binding sites on
actin molecules are regulated in skeletal muscle.
As with skeletal muscle, relaxation of smooth muscle
begins when calcium is actively removed from the cyto-
plasm. In the case of smooth muscle, it is accomplished
primarily by membrane transport proteins. However,
recall that the myosin heads were enzymatically activated
to initiate muscle contraction. They must therefore be
enzymatically deactivated in order to stop cross-bridge
cycling and induce smooth muscle relaxation. The
enzyme myosin phosphatase does the job.
Case Note
7.17. Based on the information provided here, will
Hammid have trouble with smooth muscle function?
Why or why not?
Smooth Muscle Contraction
Is Involuntary
Smooth muscle movement is involuntary; that is, it is not
subject to conscious control, like skeletal muscle. Some
smooth muscle is innervated by the autonomic nervous sys-
tem, an important division of the nervous system that itself
is not subject to voluntary control (see Chapter 8).
However, autonomic nerves do not innervate all
smooth muscles. Some smooth muscles are stimulated to
contract by hormones or by local chemical signals such
as prostaglandins, hydrogen ions, and gases (carbon diox-
ide, oxygen, and nitric oxide). Consider, for example, the
smooth muscle lining blood vessels (Chapter 11).
Smooth muscle cells in the walls of blood vessels contract
or relax in response to locally produced paracrine factors
secreted by neighboring cells that signal their need for
more or less blood flow. Contraction of these muscle cells
constricts the blood vessel, reducing blood flow, whereas
relaxation expands the vessel, increasing blood flow.
Smooth muscle is also stimulated by mechanical sig-
nals. This homeostatic mechanism prevents overstretching
of blood vessels and other tissues and thereby prevents
injury. Consider, for instance, a stomach overstretched by
a very large meal. The stomach muscle begins to contract
as the stomach is filled to capacity, preventing tearing of
the stomach muscle (and, incidentally, inducing discomfort
that prevents further food consumption).
LWBK585-c07_p226-279.indd 255
Chapter 7 Muscles 255
Finally, the cells in some smooth muscles have unsta-
ble membrane potentials, which generate self-stimulat-
ing action potentials called pacemaker activity. In the
gastrointestinal tract, for example, pacemaker activity
generates waves of smooth muscle contraction (peristal-
sis) that massage food from one end of the tract to the
other (Chapter 14). As we will see in Chapter 11,
cardiac muscle is also self-stimulating.
Smooth Muscle Contracts
as a Single Unit
Groups of smooth muscle cells contract in unison because
the cells are connected to one another by gap junctions
( Chapter 4), tiny liquid tunnels from one cell to the
next, which allow rapid spread of the signal through all
cells. When an electrical or chemical signal stimulates
one cell, the change sweeps through the entire network
of muscle cells and they contract as a single unit. Thus,
contraction strength in smooth muscle cannot be varied
by changing the number of contracting cells, as in skel-
etal muscle, which contains muscle fibers that are elec-
trically insulated from one another. Instead, the amount
of tension generated by individual smooth muscle cells
varies according to the amount of calcium allowed into
the cell from the extracellular fluid, which in turn acti-
vates greater or fewer numbers of myosin heads.
7.31 True or false: The calcium causing
smooth muscle contraction usually
comes from the extracellular fluid, but
the calcium causing skeletal muscle
contraction usually comes from the SR.
7.32 Would you find troponin in smooth muscle?
7.33 To generate a stronger contraction in smooth
muscle, do we vary the force produced by each muscle
fiber or vary the number of muscle cells contracting?
Skeletal Muscle Actions
Skeletal muscles move bones or stabilize them in certain
positions, and (in the case of facial muscles) move skin and
associated fascia. Most muscles cross a joint and act to
move one bone in relation to the other. The end of the
muscle that serves as an anchor for the movement is called
the origin; the end that moves a body part is the insertion.
The contraction of a muscle pulls (never pushes!) the
insertion toward the origin. Consider, for instance, the
masseter muscle, with its origin on the zygomatic process
8/2/10 4:49:32 PM
 256 Human Form, Human Function: Essentials of Anatomy & Physiology
Origin Origin
Contraction
Effect of
muscle
contraction
Insertion Insertion
Figure 7.16. Origin and insertion. Most muscles span a joint
and attach to two bones. The origin of the muscle attaches
to the less movable bone; the insertion to the more
movable bone. In this illustration, does the muscle insert
into the mandible or the temporal bone?
of the temporal bone, and its insertion on the mandible
(Fig. 7.16).
Contraction of this muscle closes the jaw, pulling the
mandible (insertion) closer to the zygomatic process
(origin). The words origin and insertion may not have
literal meaning for the ends of certain muscles of the
torso because the body part at both ends move. For
example, some muscles attach to the spine at both ends
and bend the spine, so it is arguable which end is the
origin and which the insertion.
The action exerted by a particular muscle varies accord-
ing to where it is attached and how the fibers are oriented.
For example, a circular muscle surrounds the mouth.
When it contracts, it purses the mouth, as in a kiss.
In producing movement, the actions of different mus-
cles often complement or oppose each other. The role of
a muscle in a particular movement can be described as
follows:
● Prime mover (or agonist): the main muscle responsi-
ble for a given movement. The large quadriceps mus-
cle on the anterior thigh is the prime mover that
extends (straightens) the leg at the knee.
● Antagonist: a muscle that opposes the action of the
prime mover. Antagonists must relax and lengthen to
permit the movement, and they often exert the oppo-
site action when they contract. The hamstrings mus-
cles on the posterior leg must relax and lengthen
when the quadriceps femoris straightens the leg.
● Synergist: a muscle that assists the action of the prime
mover. Some synergists, called fixators, prevent the
movement of a nearby joint. Remember that muscles
shorten when they contract, bringing the insertion
closer to the origin. Without fixators, the origin would
also move toward the insertion. For instance, when we
inhale deeply, several neck muscles stop the neck from
flexing so that other muscles can elevate the rib cage.
LWBK585-c07_p226-279.indd 256
To put these interactions together, let’s consider how
we raise the arm laterally at the shoulder (abduction).
The deltoid muscle is the prime mover; the supraspinatus
(a rotator cuff muscle deep to the deltoid) is a synergist
important for the initiation of the movement. Gravity is
the major antagonist, but muscular antagonists to the
deltoid include the pectoralis major and the latissimus
dorsi muscles (both muscles adduct the arm). Many mus-
cles act as fixators by stabilizing the scapula, including
the trapezius and pectoralis minor. All of these muscles
can be visualized in Plate 7.5 at the end of the chapter.
Case Note
7.18. When Hammid walks on his heels, the
gastrocnemius muscle contracts and the peroneus
longus muscle relaxes. Which muscle is the prime
mover and which is the antagonist?
7.34 When a muscle contracts, which
part moves more—the origin or the
insertion?
7.35 What is the name of a muscle
that assists the action of a prime mover?
The Major Skeletal Muscles
The human body contains hundreds of muscles, ranging
in size from the large, powerful thigh muscles to the tiny
muscles that move our eyes. We cover a subset of these
muscles, which we’ve chosen because they are important
in body posture or movement or because they are impor-
tant landmarks. As discussed in the History of Science
box, titled Medical Art and the History of Human Dissec-
tion, artists have represented the human body for vari-
ous purposes for millennia, but only began rendering its
internal structures for scientific study a few hundred
years ago. Use our illustrations and the accompanying
tables to learn the location and shape of the major skel-
etal muscles. You can make the task of learning muscle
anatomy easier by (a) learning the word parts used to
name muscles and (b) performing the actions of each
muscle as you read about it. Figures 7.17 and 7.18 pro-
vide an overview of the major superficial muscles. Plates
7.1 to 7. 9 provide more detailed views of the muscles in
each region and summarize their important actions.
8/2/10 4:49:32 PM
 Chapter 7 Muscles 257

Epicranial aponeurosis
Temporalis
Occipitofrontalis (frontal belly)
Orbicularis oculi
Zygomaticus
Masseter
Orbicularis oris

Sternocleidomastoid Platysma (cut)

Trapezius

Deltoid Biceps brachii

Pectoralis major

Triceps brachii
Serratus anterior Brachioradialis
Biceps brachii Internal oblique

Brachialis Rectus abdominis

External oblique
Brachioradialis
Extensor carpi radialis
Palmaris longus
Extensor digitorum
Flexor carpi radialis
Tensor fasciae latae

Iliopsoas

Pectineus

Iliotibial tract Adductor longus

Sartorius

Gracilis
Quadriceps femoris:
Vastus lateralis
Rectus femoris
Vastus medialis
Quadriceps
femoris tendon
Patella
Fibularis longus
Gastrocnemius
Tibialis anterior Soleus

Anterior view
Figure 7.17. Superficial muscles, anterior view. Two structures are labeled that are not muscles. Name them.

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 258 Human Form, Human Function: Essentials of Anatomy & Physiology

Occipitofrontalis
Epicranial
(frontal belly)
aponeurosis
Temporalis
Occipitofrontalis
(occipital belly)
Masseter
Platysma

Sternocleidomastoid
Trapezius

Infraspinatus Deltoid
Teres minor
Teres major

Latissimus dorsi Triceps brachii

External oblique Brachioradialis

Extensor carpi
Flexor carpi
radialis
ulnaris
Extensor digitorum
Extensor carpi
ulnaris Extensor carpi
ulnaris
Gluteus medius
Flexor carpi
Gluteus maximus ulnaris

Vastus lateralis
Adductor magnus
Hamstring group:
Iliotibial tract Biceps femoris
Gracilis Semitendinosus
Semimembranosus

Gastrocnemius Soleus

Soleus

Calcaneal
(Achilles) tendon

Posterior view
Figure 7.18. Superficial muscles, posterior view. Based on its name and your knowledge of
movements at synovial joints, find a muscle that brings the lower limb closer to the midline.

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Medical Art and the History of Human Dissection
This book is filled with wonderful medical art, without
which we would have an impoverished understanding
of human form and function. These illustrations of
muscles and other organs depict a reality documented
by repeated dissections over many centuries. Can you
imagine going through your daily life without knowing
what your muscles look like? Or your heart? Or your
brain? Until about 500 years ago, very few people knew
such things.
The oldest depictions of the human form were not
much more than stick figures rendered many thousands
of years ago on the walls of caves (part A). They served
an artistic purpose, perhaps for religious rites, and had
no scientific intent. No early civilization attempted to
depict the body’s internal structure because every
culture held that the sanctity of the human body
forbade human dissection. However, there was deep
interest in the human form as an object of art. In the last
few centuries before the Common Era (BCE) the Greeks
sculpted unparalleled masterpieces of the human
form—strong, youthful figures predominated, their
muscles clearly depicted beneath the surface, but the
interest was artistic, not scientific (part B).
Then in the fourth century BCE, Herophilus of
Chalcedon (350–280 BCE), a Greek, dissected human
corpses. Herophilus described the brain, spinal cord, and
nerves, speculating that they were of central importance
to human function. The Egyptians soon followed when
Alexander the Great (356–323 BCE) authorized dissections
(a)
Muscle portrayals. A. Cave drawings. B. Greek sculpture. C. Vesalius’s drawings.
LWBK585-c07_p226-279.indd 259
Chapter 7 Muscles 259
in Alexandria. But the descriptions produced by these
ancient anatomists were largely narrative, not
pictorial, and they were not informative by modern
standards. The illustrations that were included were
flat; they lacked perspective and mainly served to
decorate the manuscript.
Although bodies continued to be dissected for the
next thousand years, the knowledge that dissection
could have provided was largely ignored as
irrelevant by the physicians of the day. That’s because
they were steeped in the theories of Hippocrates
(460–370 BCE), who defined good health as a proper
balance among four supposed humors: phlegm
(mucus), blood, black bile, and yellow bile. An excess
of one or more of these humors, Hippocrates
believed, caused illness. Thus, an understanding of
anatomy was of no great use in this medical system.
With the coming of the Renaissance in western
Europe in the 14th century, the modern scientific
method was born and the facts revealed by human
dissection began to be understood correctly for the
first time. In the 16th century, Andreas Vesalius
(1514–1564), a Dutchman, performed dissections,
retained artists to depict the findings, and in 1543
published his momentous De Humani Corporis
Fabrica (On the Workings of the Human Body), which
for the first time depicted muscles, bones, and other
body parts with remarkable clarity and artistic
ingenuity (part C).
(b) (c)
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 260 Human Form, Human Function: Essentials of Anatomy & Physiology

Plate 7.1 Muscles of Facial Expression

Occipitofrontalis
(frontal belly)

Orbicularis
oculi

Nasalis

Zygomaticus

Orbicularis
Buccinator
oris

Risorius Mentalis

Depressor
anguli oris
Platysma
Depressor
labii inferioris

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 Chapter 7 Muscles 261

Plate 7.1 Muscles of Facial Expression

Name Origin Insertion Action

Facial muscles attach to skin or other muscles rather than bones. Minute contractions of these muscles produce the subtle
movements of skin and muscle we interpret as facial expressions.

Occipitofrontalis, frontal belly Epicranial Eyebrow, Raises eyebrows, wrinkles forehead

(occipit = base of skull; frontal = aponeurosis forehead skin
forward part) (tendon)

Occipitofrontalis, occipital belly Occipital and Epicranial Pulls scalp backward

(occipit = base of skull; frontal = temporal bones aponeurosis
forward part)
Orbicularis oculi Frontal bone, Skin encircling Closes eyelid
(orb = circular; ocul = eye) maxilla (eye orbit, eye
medial wall)
Nasalis Maxilla Bridge of nose Brings sides of nose towards nasal septum
(nasal = nose) (cartilage)

Zygomaticus Zygomatic bone Skin, muscle at Raises corner of mouth, as in smiling

(zygoma = cheekbone) lip corners

Orbicularis oris Maxilla, deep Skin at mouth Closes and protrudes lips (kissing, sucking),
(orb = circular; oris = mouth) surface of skin corners shapes lips (speech)

Depressor labii inferioris Mandible Orbicularis oris Depresses lower lip (when showing
(depressor = downward; labi = impatience)
lip; infer = below)
Mentalis Mandible Chin skin Elevates, protrudes lower lip (pouting)
(mentum = chin)

Depressor anguli oris Mandible Mouth (angle) Brings down mouth corners (frowning)
(depressor = downward; anguli
= corner; oris = mouth)
Buccinator Maxilla, mandible Orbicularis oris Flattens cheek (smiling, pushes food
(bucia = cheek) (alveolar against molars, whistling, wind
processes) instruments)
Risorius Platysma, Mouth angle Draws mouth corner laterally (grinning)
(risor = laugher) masseter

Platysma Fascia covering Mandible Tenses skin when teeth are clenched
(platys = flat) deltoid, pectoralis (resulting in skin ridges), depresses
major mandible, helps depressor anguli oris

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 262 Human Form, Human Function: Essentials of Anatomy & Physiology

Plate 7.2 Muscles Controlling the Jaw and Moving the Head

Epicranial
aponeurosis
(fascia)

Occipitofrontalis
(frontal belly)
Temporalis

Orbicularis
oculi

Nasalis Occipitofrontalis
(occipital belly)

Zygomaticus

Orbicularis oris Masseter

Risorius Buccinator

Depressor Sternocleidomastoid
labii inferioris
Depressor Trapezius
Mentalis
anguli oris

Platysma

Extension Hyperextension

Flexion

Protraction Elevation
Retraction
Depression

Lateral flexion Rotation

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 Chapter 7 Muscles 263

Plate 7.2 Muscles Controlling the Jaw and Moving the Head
Name Origin Insertion Action

The powerful muscles of the jaw move it upwards and sideways for speech and chewing (gravity is the prime mover for
depressing the jaw). Yet other muscles move the entire head – flexing, extending, and rotating it on the cervical axis.

Masseter Temporal bone Mandible Elevates jaw (biting, chewing)

(maseter = chewer) (zygomatic
process)

Temporalis Temporal bone Mandible Elevates jaw, retracts chin

(temporal = of the side of the
head)
Pterygoids Sphenoid bone Mandible Elevates jaw, protrudes chin
(deep muscles; not shown)

Sternocleidomastoid Sternum, clavicle Temporal bone Together: flexes neck (brings chin to chest)
(sternon = breastbone; cleido = (mastoid Separately: laterally flexes, rotates neck
clavicle; mastoid = mastoid process), occipital (ear approaches shoulder on same side)
process of temporal bone) bone
Trapezius (also see Plate 7.5) Occipital bone, Clavicle, scapula Extends neck; also moves shoulder
(trapezoid = flat with four sides) vertebrae (C7, (acromion, spine)
thoracic)
Erector spinae (see Plate 7.3) Ribs and verte- Occipital bone, Extends neck (also moves vertebral
(erector = raise; spinae = of the brae temporal bone, column)
spine) ribs, vertebrae

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 264 Human Form, Human Function: Essentials of Anatomy & Physiology

Plate 7.3 Muscles of the Thorax: Muscles that Move the Vertebral Column, Abdominal Muscles,
and Respiratory Muscles

Lung (cut)

Internal intercostals
Ribs (cut)

External intercostals

Diaphragm

Kidney

(a) Muscles of respiration

Xiphoid
process

External Linea alba

oblique
(cut)

Rectus Aponeurosis Spinous

abdominus (external process
Internal oblique) (vertebra)
oblique
External
Transverse oblique
abdominus

Iliac crest

(b) Abdominal muscles, frontal view Erector spinae:

Spinalis
Posterior
Longissimus
Transverse
Iliocostalis
abdominus

Internal
oblique Sacrum

Linea
External alba
oblique

Rectus abdominus
Anterior

(c) Abdominal muscles, transverse section (d) Deep muscles of the vertebral column

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 Chapter 7 Muscles 265

Plate 7.3 Muscles of the Thorax: Muscles that Move the Vertebral Column, Abdominal
Muscles, and Respiratory Muscles
Name Origin Insertion Action

Many muscles illustrated on this plate do not move bones. Instead, they are involved in the minute movements of
respiration and in compressing the abdominal contents.

Rectus abdominus Pubis Xiphoid process Flexes spinal column, compresses

(rectus = straight; abdominus = (sternum), ribs abdomen
abdomen)

External oblique 5th–12th ribs Ilium, pubis, linea Both: flex spinal column, compress
(external = closer to the alba abdomen
surface; oblique = slanting) One: rotate, laterally flex vertebral column
Internal oblique Iliac crest 10th–12th ribs, Same as external obliques
(internal = farther from the linea alba
surface; oblique = slanting)
Transverse abdominis Iliac crest, inter- Xiphoid process, Compresses abdomen
(transverse = across; abdominis costal cartilage of linea alba, pubis
= abdomen) 7th–12th ribs
Erector spinae: spinalis, Tendon arising at Occipital bone, Both sides: extends vertebral column (also
longissimus, and iliocostalis ilium, sacrum, temporal bone, extends head)
groups and lumbar ribs, vertebrae One side: laterally flexes vertebral column
(erector = raise; vertebrae
spinae = of the spine; longissi-
mus = longest; iliocostal =
related to the ribs)
Sternocleidomastoid (see Plate Sternum, clavicle Temporal bone Together: flexes cervical section of
7.2) (mastoid vertebral column (also moves head)
process), occipital
bone
Diaphragm Xiphoid process, Contracts to expand thorax, resulting in
(diaphragma = barrier or costal cartilage of inhalation; relaxes to shrink thorax,
partition) inferior ribs, resulting in exhalation
lumbar vertebrae
Internal intercostals Superior border Inferior border of Depress ribs; active exhalation
(internal = farther from the of ribs rib above
surface; intercostal = between
the ribs)
External intercostals Inferior border of Superior border Elevate ribs during inhalation
(external = closer to the ribs of rib below
surface; intercostal = between
the ribs)

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 266 Human Form, Human Function: Essentials of Anatomy & Physiology

Plate 7.4 Muscles of the Perineum

Name Origin Insertion Action

The perineum lies below the pelvic outlet, and is the pelvic floor. Although they receive little attention, the muscles of the
perineum support the weight of the abdominal organs, ensure urinary and rectal continence (that is, bladder and bowel
control), and participate in reproductive behaviors. The perineal body is a small, but complex, structure composed of
connective tissue and muscle; it is the origin for many perineal muscles; this structure is sometimes damaged during
childbirth.

Transverse perineus Ischial tuberosity Perineal body Stabilizes perineum

(transverse = across; perineum
= region between anus and
genitals)
Levator ani Pubis, ischial Coccyx, urethra, Aids defecation; stabilizes perineum
(levator = raiser; ani = anus) spine rectum, perineum
External anal sphincter Anococcygeal Perineal body Closes anus
(external = closer to the ligament, coccyx
surface; anal = anus; sphincter
= tightener)
Ischiocavernosus Ischial tuberosity, Clitoris (females), Maintains clitoral or penile erection by
(ischio = pelvis; cavernosus = pubis penis (males) compressing veins
hollow tissue of penis or
clitoris)
Bulbospongiosus Penis (males) or Perineal body, Maintains clitoral or penile erection by
(bulbo = swollen; spongiosus = Perineal fascia clitoris (females), compressing veins; aids in expelling last
like a sponge) (females) penis (males) drops of urine or semen (males); constricts
vagina (females)
Coccygeus Ischium Coccyx, lower Stabilizes perineum; pulls coccyx forward
(coccyx = lower tip of spine) sacrum during defecation, childbirth

Urethral opening Vagina Penis

Ischiocavernosus
Clitoris
Bulbospongiosus

Transverse perineus

Perineal body

Ischial tuberosity (bone)

Levator ani

Anus
External
anal sphincter
Anococcygeal
ligament

Coccyx

Gluteus Gluteus Gluteus Gluteus

maximus (cut) Coccygeus maximus maximus (cut) Coccygeus maximus

(a) Female (b) Male

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 Plate 7.5 Muscles that Move and Stabilize the Pectoral Girdle
Name Origin Insertion Action

The muscles shown here anchor the upper limbs to the body by fixing the scapula in place. They also move the scapula,
thereby moving the shoulder up or down, forward or backward. They also rotate the glenoid cavity, containing the head
of the humerus, to enable lateral movements of the humerus.

Levator scapulae Vertebrae C1–C4 Scapula (coracoid Elevates and rotates the scapula
(levator = raiser; scapulae = (transverse process) inferiorly; fixes scapula (also flexes neck
scapula) processes) laterally)

Trapezius Occipital bone, Clavicle, scapula Superior part elevates scapula, inferior part
(trapezi = shaped like a vertebrae (C7, (acromion, spine) depresses scapula; both parts together
trapezoid) thoracic) retract scapula

Pectoralis minor 2nd–5th ribs Scapula (coracoid Protracts scapula

(pector = chest; minor = lesser) process)

Rhomboid major Vertebrae T1–T4 Scapula Retracts and rotates scapula inferiorly; used
(rhomboid = shaped like a for forcible downward movements (like
rhombus; major = greater) hammering)
Serratus anterior Superior ribs Scapula Called the boxers muscle; important in
(serratus = saw-toothed; punching and pushing because it protracts
anterior = before) and stabilizes the scapula so that the
shoulder moves down and forward; rotates
scapula superiorly

Superficial Deep
(Latissimus dorsi (Trapezius
removed) removed)
Trapezius Levator scapulae

(Superior Rhomboid major

Spine of scapula part)

(Inferior Scapula
part)

Serratus anterior Serratus anterior

T12
T 12

Sternocleidmastoid
(clavicular origin)
Trapezius Posterior view

Elevation
1
(raises shoulder)
Pectoralis 2 Superior (lateral) rotation
minor (glenoid cavity faces upwards,
3
arm can be raised)
4 Retraction
Serratus
5 (pulls Protraction
anterior
shoulder (brings shoulder forward)
back)
Inferior (medial) rotation
(glenoid cavity faces downwards,
arm can be adducted)
Depression
(lowers shoulder)

Anterior view Movements of the scapula

267

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 268 Human Form, Human Function: Essentials of Anatomy & Physiology

Plate 7.6 Muscles that Move the Arm (Humerus) at the Shoulder Joint

Superficial Deep
(Latissimus dorsi
removed)
Supraspinatus Supraspinatus

Spine of scapula
Infraspinatus
l)
ia

r)
ed

rio
(m

s te Teres minor
Deltoid po
(
Teres major

Humerus

Latissimus Abduction
dorsi

Adduction
Ilium

Spinous process
(deep to the
aponeurosis of the
Latissimus dorsi)

Posterior view

ion

sion
ex
Fl

ten
Ex
Superficial Deep (chest
muscles and H
x t y pe r-
e

ribcage removed) en
sion

Deltoid Subscapularis Medial Lateral

rotation rotation
ior
ior
ial

er Teres major
ter
Med

p
Su
An

Pectoralis
major

Anterior view

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 Chapter 7 Muscles 269

Plate 7.6 Muscles that Move the Arm (Humerus) at the Shoulder Joint
Name Origin Insertion Action

The shoulder joint is the most mobile joint in the body, moving the humerus in all possible dimensions. The shoulder
joint is stabilized in part by the “rotator cuff” muscles, also known as the SITS muscles (supraspinatus, infraspinatus,
teres minor, subscapsularis). Their tendons form the rotator cuff by blending with the articular capsule to strengthen and
stabilize the shoulder joint. Also, the muscles are tonically contracted to hold the humeral head in the shallow glenoid
cavity.

Latissimus dorsi Vertebrae, Humerus “Climbing muscle”; extends and hyperex-

(latissimus = widest; dorsi = of sacrum, ilium tends humerus; adducts humerus behind
the back) back (i.e., to scratch an itch over the
scapula); medially rotates humerus
Pectoralis major Clavicle, sternum, Humerus Adducts and medially rotates humerus;
(pector = chest; major = cartilage of ribs superior portion flexes humerus
greater)
Teres major Scapula Humerus Adducts, medially rotates humerus; helps
(teres = long and round; major in extension from flexed position; helps
= greater) stabilize shoulder joint when deltoid is
active
Supraspinatus* Scapula Humerus Assists deltoid to complete abduction
(supra = above; spina = spine
of scapula)
Infraspinatus* Scapula Humerus Laterally rotates humerus
(infra = below; spina = spine of
scapula)
Teres minor* Scapula Humerus Laterally rotates humerus
(teres = long and round; minor
= lesser)
Subscapularis* Subscapular fossa Humerus Medially rotates humerus
(sub = beneath; scapularis =
scapula)
Deltoid Clavicle, scapula Humerus Forms rounded contour of shoulder;
(deltoid = shaped like a (spine and entire muscle abducts humerus; swings
triangle) acromion) arms during walking (anterior part helps
pectoralis major flex humerus; posterior
part helps latissimus dorsi extend humerus)

*Part of the rotator cuff

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 270 Human Form, Human Function: Essentials of Anatomy & Physiology

Plate 7.7 Muscles that Move the Forearm, Hand, and Fingers

Scapula Scapula

Humerus Humerus

Triceps
brachii

Brachialis Biceps brachii

Brachioradialis
Ulnar olecranon
Pronator teres
Extensor
carpi Flexor carpi radialis
radialis
Flexor carpi ulnaris Palmaris
longus
Flexor
Extensor carpi
carpi
ulnaris
Brachioradialis ulnaris
Extensor
digitorum

Retinaculum Flexor
digitorum
superficialis

Posterior view Anterior view

(to Abdu
Flexion

tion b)
nsion

wa ction
rd t Adduc thum
humb) o m
(away fr
E xt e

Ex
t en
Ex

Fle
t en

sion

n)
Fle

Pro
xion

ow
sion

natio
n (palm d
xion

Sup )
ination (palm up

Elbow joint (forearm) Wrist joint (hand) IP joints (fingers)

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 Chapter 7 Muscles 271

Plate 7.7 Muscles that Move the Forearm, Hand, and Fingers
Name Origin Insertion Action

The muscles of the forearm can be separated into four groups: 1) those that flex and extend at the elbow joint; 2) those
that flex or extend at the wrist joint; 3) those that flex or extend the fingers and thumb; and 4), those at that pronate or
supinate the forearm.

Brachialis Humerus Ulna Flexes elbow (primary mover, all positions)

(brachi = arm)
Brachioradialis Humerus Radius Flexes elbow; assists brachialis when quick
(brachi = arm; radi = radius) movements are required
Biceps brachii Scapula (coracoid Radius, forearm Supinates elbow (primary mover), flexes
(biceps = two heads; brachi = process and fascia elbow when forearm is supine (not when
arm) tubercle) pronated)
Triceps brachii Scapula, humerus Ulnar olecranon Extends elbow (primary mover)
(triceps = three heads; brachi =
arm)
Extensor carpi radialis Humerus 2nd metacarpal Extends, abducts wrist; necessary to clench
(extensor = increases joint fist
angle; carpus = wrist; radi =
radius)
Pronator teres Humerus, ulnar Radius Pronates, flexes elbow
(pronate = turn palm down; coronoid process
teres = long and round)
Flexor carpi radialis Humerus 2nd and 3rd Flexes, abducts wrist (hand moves
(flex = decreases joint angle; metacarpals anterolaterally)
carpus = wrist; radi = radius)
Palmaris longus Humerus Fascia Weak wrist flexor
(palma = palm; longus = long)
Flexor carpi ulnaris Humerus, ulna 5th metacarpal Flexes, adducts wrist
(flex = decreases joint angle;
carpus = wrist; ulnaris = ulna)
Extensor carpi ulnaris Humerus, 5th metacarpal Extends, adducts wrist; necessary to clench
(extensor = increases joint posterior ulna fist
angle; carpus = wrist; ulnaris =
ulna)
Flexor digitorum superficialis Humerus, ulna, Middle phalanx, Flexes four fingers at proximal IP joint
(flex = decreases joint angle; radius each finger
digit = finger or toe; superficial
= near the surface)
Extensor digitorum Humerus Distal and middle Extends four fingers at all IP joints
(extensor = increases joint phalanges, each
angle; digit = finger or toe) finger

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 272 Human Form, Human Function: Essentials of Anatomy & Physiology

Plate 7.8 Muscles that Move the Thigh and Leg

12th rib
Iliac crest (bone)

Iliac crest Gluteus medius

(bone)
Tensor fasciae latae
Illiopsoas:
Gluteus maximus
Iliacus
Psoas

Pectineus
Tensor fasciae
latae Adductor longus
Vastus lateralis
Adductor magnus
Quadriceps: Iliotibial tract
(tendon)
Gracilis
Rectus femoris
Hamstring group:
Vastus Sartorius
intermedius Biceps femoris
Vastus lateralis Semitendinosus
Vastus medialis Semimembranosus
Gluteus maximus

Iliotibial tract Tensor fasciae

(tendon) latae

Iliotibial tract
Patella (bone)
Vastus lateralis
Tibial tuberosity
(bone)

Anterior view Lateral view Posterior view

Hy

pe
on

rex xi
te Fle tion
Fle
on

nsion
si Abduc xion
ten Ex
Ex n Lateral Medial ten
ctio sion
Addu rotation rotation
Movements at the hip (of the thigh) Movements at the knee (of the leg)

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 Chapter 7 Muscles 273

Plate 7.8 Muscles that Move the Thigh and Leg

Name Origin Insertion Action

Muscles of the thigh are large and powerful, befitting their role in maintaining an erect stance, in walking or running, or in
lifting heavy loads. Some of these muscles act only to move the hip joint; others, the knee; and some move both. The
anterior muscles generally act to flex the hip and extend the knee, as in the foreswing of walking. The posterior muscles
generally act to extend the hip and flex the knee, as in the backswing of walking. A third large and powerful group,
located medially, acts to adduct the thigh and has no effect on the leg. Abduction and rotation of the thigh is relatively
weak and attained by small muscles or is a minor function of large muscles.

Iliacus Ilium Femur (lesser Flexes, laterally rotates hip; flexes vertebral
(iliac = ilium) trochanter) column
Psoas Lumbar vertebrae Joins iliacus to Flexes, laterally rotates hip; flexes vertebral
(psoas = muscle of the loin) insert into femur column
(lesser
trochanter)
Sartorius Iliac spine Tibia Crosses the leg: flexes, abducts, and
(sartor = tailor, referencing laterally rotates hip; flexes knee
their traditional cross-legged
position)
Quadriceps Femoris:
(quadriceps = four heads; femoris = femur)

Rectus femoris Iliac spine Four muscles join Extends knee; flexes hip
(rectus = straight; and insert into
femoris = femur) the patella, then
the tibial
tuberosity
Vastus lateralis Femur (greater Extends knee
(vastus = large; trochanter, linea
lateralis = lateral) aspera)
Vastus medialis Femur (greater Extends knee
(vastus = large; trochanter, linea
medialis = medial) aspera)
Vastus intermedius Femur Extends knee
(vastus = large;
intermedius = middle)

Gracilis Pubis Tibia Adducts and medially rotates hip; flexes

(gracile = slender) knee
Adductor longus Pubic crest and Femur (linea Adducts, medially rotates, and flexes hip
(adduct = move toward the symphysis aspera)
centerline; longus = long)
Adductor magnus Pubis, ischium Femur (linea Adducts, medially rotates, and extends hip
(adduct = move toward the aspera)
centerline; magnus = large)
Pectineus Pubis Femur Adducts, flexes hip
(pectin = comb)

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 274 Human Form, Human Function: Essentials of Anatomy & Physiology

Plate 7.8 Muscles that Move the Thigh and Leg (continued)
Name Origin Insertion Action

Tensor fasciae latae Ilium Iliotibial tract, Abducts, flexes hip

(tensor = tightener; fasciae = eventually tibia
fascia; lat = wide)
Gluteus medius Ilium Femur (greater Abducts, laterally rotates hip
(glute = buttock; medius = trochanter)
middle)
Gluteus maximus Iliac crest, Iliotibial tract, Extends, laterally rotates hip
(glute = buttock; maximus = sacrum, coccyx femur (linea
largest) aspera)
Hamstring group:
(referring to the tendons behind the knee)

Biceps femoris Ischial tuberosity, Fibula (head) and Flexes knee; extends hip
(biceps = two heads; linea aspera of tibia (lateral
femoris = femur) femur condyle)
Semitendinosus Ischial tuberosity Proximal tibia Flexes knee; extends hip
(semi = half;
tendo = tendon)
Semimembranosus Ischial tuberosity Tibia (medial Flexes knee; extends hip
(semi = half; condyle)
membran = membrane)

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 Chapter 7 Muscles 275

Plate 7.9 Muscles that Move the Foot and Toes

Name Origin Insertion Action

Muscles of the leg move the foot and toes and are divided into anterior, posterior and lateral groups according to their
position in relation to the interosseous membrane that joins the tibia and fibula. Muscles in the anterior compartment
extend the toes and dorsiflex the ankle, a weak movement but one critical to avoid dragging the toes while walking.
Muscles in the posterior compartment flex the toes and plantarflex the foot, powerful movements when walking. Muscles
in the lateral compartment evert the foot. The small muscles of the foot aid in all movements of the toes and help fine
tune and stabilize body movements involving the foot.

Tibialis anterior Tibia: lateral 1st cuneiform Dorsiflexes, inverts ankle

(tibialis = tibia; anterior = front) condyle/body and metatarsal
Extensor digitorum longus Tibia Distal phalanges, Extends 4 toes, dorsiflexes ankle
(extensor = increase joint 2nd to 5th toes
angle; digitorum = finger or
toe; longus = long)
Extensor hallucis Fibula Phalanx of great Extends great toe, dorsiflexes ankle
(extensor = increase joint toe
angle; hallux = great toe)
Fibularis longus Fibula, tibia Medial cuneiform Everts ankle; keeps leg steady when
(fibularis = fibula; longus = (lateral condyle) and first balancing on one foot
long) metatarsal of foot
Gastrocnemius Femur: lateral, Calcaneus (via Plantarflexes ankle; raises heel when
(gastro = belly; cnem = leg) medial condyles Achilles tendon) walking; flexes knee; important in rapid
movements (running, jumping)

Patellar ligament

Tibial tuberosity
Fibularis longus (bone)
Gastrocnemius
Gastrocnemius
Tibialis anterior Tibialis anterior

Soleus Fibularis longus

Extensor Soleus
digitorum
Flexor digitorum Extensor digitorum
Extensor longus longus
hallucis

Ligaments Calcaneal tendon

Ligaments
Lateral malleolus
(deep fascia)
(fibula)

Calcaneus

Anterior view, right leg Lateral view, right leg

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 276 Human Form, Human Function: Essentials of Anatomy & Physiology

Plate 7.9 Muscles that Move the Foot and Toes (continued)
Name Origin Insertion Action

Soleus Fibula (head) and Calcaneus (via Plantarflexes ankle (slow); contracts
(soleus = a flat fish) proximal tibia Achilles tendon) alternately with leg extensor muscles to
maintain balance when walking
Tibialis posterior Tibia, fibula Multiple tarsals Plantarflexes and inverts ankle
(tibialis = tibia; posterior = rear) and metatarsals
Flexor digitorum longus Posterior tibia Distal phalanges, Flexes lateral 4 toes, plantarflexes ankle,
(flexor = decreases joint angle; 2nd to 5th toes supports longitudinal foot arches
digitorum = finger or toe;
longus = long)
Flexor hallucis Posterior fibula Base of great toe Flexes great toe; supports longitudinal foot
(flexor = decreases joint angle; arches; push-off muscle during running and
hallux = great toe) jumping

Pla
nt
a
Do

rfl
r

ex
ion
s if
lex
ion
(cut)
Gastrocnemius
Tibialis
posterior
(cut)
Soleus Flexor hallucis

Flexor
Fibularis digitorum
longus longus
n

Ev
er
sio

er sio
Inv n

Calcaneal
tendon
Ex t
Fle

ension
xion

Calcaneus
(bone)

Posterior superficial view, left leg Posterior deep view, left leg (foot plantar flexed)

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 Chapter 7 Muscles 277

Word Parts
Latin/Greek Word Parts English Equivalents Examples

my/o Muscle myoglobin; a globular protein found in muscle

sarco- Flesh; muscle sarcolemma: membrane (-lemma) of a muscle cell

troponin: molecule (-in) that turns (moves tropomyosin out of

tropo- To turn
the way) in order to produce muscle contraction

-metric Length isometric: contraction with no change (iso-) in length

-ton/o Tension isotonic: contraction with no change (iso-) in tension

concentric: muscle contraction that brings two bones together

con- Together
(a shortening contraction)

eccentric: muscle contraction that moves two bones away

ec- Away
from each other (a lengthening contraction)

syn- Together synergist: muscle working together with the prime mover

ant- Against antagonist: muscle working against the prime mover

Chapter Challenge
CHAPTER RECALL 3. Which of the following statements applies to the
neuromuscular junction of skeletal muscles?
1. Which of the following characteristics apply to a. Uses norepinephrine as the neurotransmitter.
skeletal muscle (SK) and which to smooth muscle b. Consists of multiple varicosities scattered over
(SM)? Write all that apply. numerous muscle fibers.
a. Muscle is striped (striated) in appearance. c. Its activation results in calcium entering the cell
b. Muscle contractions cannot be consciously from the extracellular fluid.
controlled. d. The neurotransmitter receptors are also sodium
c. Muscle tissue found in the stomach and intestinal channels.
wall.
d. Muscle fibers that fatigue after repeated 4. Thin filaments
contractions. a. are anchored by dense bodies in smooth muscle.
b. are composed only of actin.
2. The outer membrane of a muscle cell is called the c. are found in skeletal muscle but not smooth
a. sarcoplasm. muscle.
b. sarcolemma. d. are composed of myosin.
c. sarcoplasmic reticulum.
d. endosomal membrane.

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 278 Human Form, Human Function: Essentials of Anatomy & Physiology

5. A sarcomere 13. The most superficial abdominal muscle is the

a. is a neuron and the muscle fiber it innervates. a. transverse abdominis.
b. runs the entire length of a muscle. b. internal oblique.
c. is joined to adjacent sarcomeres by the Z disc. c. external oblique.
d. is the functional unit of both skeletal and smooth d. rectus abdominis.
muscle.
14. The muscle that retracts the scapula is the
6. During muscle contraction, a. serratus anterior.
a. thick filaments shorten. b. pectoralis minor.
b. thin filaments shorten. c. pectoralis major.
c. both thick and thin filaments shorten. d. rhomboid major.
d. neither thick nor thin filaments shorten.
15. Which of the following muscles is not part of the
7. The role of calcium in smooth muscle contraction rotator cuff?
involves a. Deltoid
a. activating enzymes that activate the myosin heads. b. Supraspinatus
b. providing energy for cross-bridge cycling. c. Teres minor
c. revealing myosin binding sites on actin molecules. d. Subscapularis
d. initiating action potentials in the muscle cell.
16. The primary mover for forearm flexion is the
8. In skeletal muscle, fresh molecules of ATP are a. biceps brachii.
required for b. brachialis.
a. detaching the myosin heads from the actin. c. brachioradialis.
b. maintaining the sodium concentration gradient. d. triceps brachii.
c. providing the energy for movement of the myosin
heads. 17. The thigh muscle that originates on the ilium and
d. all of the above. inserts into the greater trochanter of the femur is the
a. sartorius.
9. Type I fibers b. psoas.
a. are slow to fatigue. c. gluteus medius.
b. contain large stores of glycogen. d. tensor fascia lata.
c. are the strongest type of fiber.
d. contain few mitochondria. 18. The muscle that abducts the thigh is the:
a. gacilis.
10. An example of an isometric contraction during a b. pectineus.
pushup would be c. adductor longus.
a. holding yourself immobile in the pushup position. d. gluteus medius.
b. contracting the triceps brachii as you lower your
body to the floor. 19. The levator ani originates on the
c. contracting the biceps brachii as you raise your a. ischium.
body from the floor. b. pubis.
d. b and c. c. perineal fascia.
d. ilium.
11. The eyelid is closed by the actions of the
a. orbicularis oris. 20. Contraction of the extensor hallucis would result in
b. orbicularis oculi. a. inversion.
c. mentalis. b. eversion.
d. occipitofrontalis. c. plantarflexion.
d. dorsiflexion.
12. Contraction of the sternocleidomastoid muscle on one
side of the body only will 21. Which of the following muscles is part of the
a. raise one shoulder. hamstring group?
b. lower one shoulder. a. Gracilis
c. bring one ear closer to the shoulder on the same b. Vastus lateralis
side. c. Semimembranosus
d. move one shoulder anteriorly. d. Rectus femoris

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 Chapter 7 Muscles 279

22. Which of the following muscles extends the hand? 27. Compare and contrast anaerobic metabolism and
a. Palmaris longus aerobic metabolism under the following categories:
b. Extensor digitorum a. nutrient types used
c. Extensor carpi ulnaris b. approximate number of ATP molecules produced
d. Pronator teres from one glucose molecule (and, if appropriate,
fatty acid molecule)
23. Hiking to the top of a mountain, you encounter a view c. requirement for oxygen
so beautiful that your jaw drops, opening your mouth.
The prime mover for this action is 28. Returning for your second year of college, you notice
a. the temporalis muscle. that your friend has significantly “bulked up” and his
b. the masseter muscle. muscles are visibly larger.
c. the depressor labii inferioris muscle. a. What sort of exercise results in significant muscle
d. gravity. growth?
b. Discuss the role of satellite cells in muscle growth.
24. You have your eye on a delicious chocolate chip cookie
at a bake sale. But as your hand reaches out to get APPLICATION
the cookie, someone else snatches it. You walk away,
pouting. The prime mover in this action of the lips 29. A new drug has been developed that blocks
is the acetylcholinesterase. You are looking for something to
a. mentalis. relax your muscles. Would this drug be appropriate to
b. buccinators. use? Explain why or why not.
c. zygomaticus.
d. risorius. 30. While attending the ballet, you notice a dancer raising
her heels to stand on her tiptoes.
25. Which of the following muscles strongly flexes the a. Name this action using the movement terminology
spinal column? you learned in Chapter 6.
a. rectus abdominis b. What is the prime mover for this action?
b. erector spinae c. Name a synergistic muscle involved in this action.
c. transverse abdominis d. Name an antagonistic muscle involved.
d. internal intercostals

You can find the answers to these questions

CONCEPTUAL UNDERSTANDING on the student Web site at
http://thepoint.lww.com/McConnellandHull
26. List five functions of muscle tissue. Specify the type
of muscle tissue involved—skeletal, cardiac, and/or
smooth.

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